Originally, wolves were the most widely distributed
land mammal on the face of the earth. But presently,
they are either extinct or threatened with extinction
throughout much of their native and natural territory.

Throughout our history, impressions and interpretations of the wolf and
attitudes toward wolves have been expressed in a pendulous range of
emotions -- from adoration and reverence, to intense fear and even
hatred. In recent years, a greater awareness of wolves and growing
concern for their welfare has contributed to reverting the process
of eradication stemming from centuries of misconception coupled
with the destruction of their habitat. Their future, their survival, is
contingent on more positive interaction, dependent upon the depth
of our concern and the efforts we are willing to make to insure it.

By our collective capacity to acknowledge our role as caretakers of
this fragile planet, and for the other life forms that must share it with us,
we fulfill our own prophecies... choosing whether our wolves travel a
path leading to extinction, or preservation. Among indigenous people
of the North American continent who once enjoyed coexistence with the
wolf, there was a proverb: 'we are known by the tracks that we leave'