Have you ever been kissed by a wolf? Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, located near the town of Divide, set along the north slope of Pikes Peak about 35 minutes west of Colorado Springs, offers the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with wolves and a number of other animals.
Tours are offered to the public year-round, Tuesday through Sunday, allowing visitors to not only enjoy personal encounters with the “ambassador wolves,” which are gentle enough for human interaction but to learn more about them too.
The center hosts many animals in addition to the several species of wolves, including red fox, swift fox, coyote, red foxes, and the random chicken or two.
The guided tours aim to dispel myths about wolves through education, and their role in the ecosystem.
Visitors can also expect to learn about how wolves communicate, their pack hierarchy and territory, prey impact and conservation as well as finding out about the history of each animal housed at the CWWC.
The CWWC exists at least partially because of the humans who’ve decided they want to own a wolf dog or a coydog (a coyote hybrid). It’s legal and anyone can purchase one, but it’s not a good idea.
Most people don’t realize that these hybrids are very challenging to care for, and need lots of space and stimulation. The animal is two to three years old before it matures, which is when their true personality starts to show – that’s when, all too often, that once sweet, gentle puppy turns aggressive. This is when their owners often find that they don’t have the ability or time to care for these wild animals and end up giving them to a shelter. But shelters aren’t really able to care for them either, and the result is that the majority end up being euthanized within just 24 to 48 hours arriving at a shelter.
Some of the animals have gone through incredible hardships – be prepared to hear the sometimes gritty truth, about the fur industry, canned hunts and other practices that many of us are unaware of as their plight hasn’t been focused on in the media.
How to Visit
If you’d like to visit the center, tour reservations must be made online here.
There are multiple options to choose from, including a standard tour, feeding tour and full moon tour, among others. Tours meet at the visitor center at least 15 minutes before your scheduled time to fill out paperwork, including release forms.
Address: 4729 Twin Rocks Rd, Divide, CO 80814
Phone: 719-687-9742
Website: http://www.wolfeducation.org
