The Wolf Education & Research Center provides care for the Sawtooth Pack: Wolves of the Nez Perce and the recently rescued Owyhee Pack.  In addition to caring for these wolves, the Wolf Center provides educational outreach through onsite instruction with interns, visitors, and regional schools.  The Wolf Center is an advocate for gray wolf education, protections, and conservation throughout the Rocky Mountain region and the Western United States.

Intern Experience -- focus on developing young biology students heading toward careers in biology, veterinary science, and more.
Target: Education -- educational outreach to regional K-12 schools.
ACT Now! -- Acting with Compassion & Truth (ACT) is a link to lay people to get involved through monthly advocacy opportunities.

The Wolf Education and Research Center (WERC) was born from the passion and vision of a group of like-minded individuals. In 1992, that vision was the return of the gray wolf to its historic place in the Northern Rocky Mountains. For that dream to become a reality, a significant commitment of time, energy, and money would be required.

Critical to a successful reintroduction program would be public education which dispelled old myths and emphasized the important role of the wolf in a healthy ecosystem Along with many other organizations and individuals, WERC, its members and friends, played a vital role in bringing the gray wolf back to Idaho.

In 1997, with the opening to the public of the Visitors' Center in Winchester, Idaho, WERC expanded its vision for education, following its assumption of responsibility for the care of the Sawtooth Pack, a captive wolf pack that had been the subject of two award-winning documentary films by filmmaker Jim Dutcher. WERC's partnership with the Nez Perce Tribal Nation made this move to tribal lands possible.

The pack is now known as Sawtooth Pack; Wolves of the Nez Perce. The development of the Visitors' Center made possible expanded education and cultural programs.

At that time it was WERC's vision that the Winchester site would not be only a wolf sanctuary, but also a dynamic living classroom, where the pack would live out their lives in an environment as close to a wild experience as we could provide. The pack would teach us daily about their species, and thus about ourselves. It was hoped the three pups would grow and successfully integrate into the pack.

From the day the Center opened we have observed leadership, teamwork, patience, curiosity, communication, perseverance, strategy, loyalty, play and change among the pack members. We have also observed aggression and death, which are difficult for humans to accept. Aggression and death in a wolf pack are natural and inevitable, but the more recent deaths of Kamots and Wyakin left us filled with sadness and seeking answers.

We are continually learning more of the intricacies of this pack's hierarchy, which now is based on a pack of fully mature wolves. We have learned that in spite of their socialization with humans, as captive wolves they still undergo a great amount of unnatural stress when compared to life in the wild. Drastic and sometimes aggressive behaviors can be related to their unnatural lifestyle

In order not to just survive, but to be vigorous and healthy, organizations like WERC must continually grow and evolve to meet the ever-changing needs and challenges it faces in fulfillment of its mission. The health and well being of the pack has always been the overriding priority of the Board and staff of WERC. It is our duty to ensure that the members of the Nez Perce Pack not just survive, but thrive as well.

We believe this evolution in pack care philosophy and increased socialization does not jeopardize fulfillment of the WERC mission; rather, this change enhances WERC's ability to maintain the pack, while continuing its public education programs. It is education promoting the acceptance of their wild brothers and sisters that gives meaning to the pack's captivity.

We are grateful to the many individuals who have provided invaluable information and recommendations during this time, and to the Nez Perce Tribe for their commitment to the pack, wild wolf recovery, and future cultural programs with WERC.

We feel privileged to have come to know these wolves as individuals, and hope many more members and friends of WERC will plan to visit Winchester. To be in their presence on sacred Nez Perce tribal lands is a profound experience to be treasured for a lifetime.

The departed Sawtooth Pack leave behind a profound and meaningful legacy as their spirits go forth, finally free, and journey on in the circle of life. They light our path ahead. Your support and encouragement are deeply appreciated, and as always are essential to achieving our commitments to the wolves.

Thank you for being with us in our efforts.