USD Magazine, Fall 2002

Fewer than 30 endangered gray wolves remain at the California Wolf Center, which Professor Dan Moriarty is working to rebuild after a devastating forest fire.

T he environmental devastation caused by this summer's Pines forest fire, east of San Diego, is incalculable, but USD psycho– logy Professor Dan Moriarty can tally his own casualty list - four endangered Mexican wolves lost to the flames, and a significant setback to the species' breeding efforts. Moriarty, who specializes in an imal behav– ior, is director of the California Wolf Center - a protected breeding habitat that also offers education programs. He initially thought the center's 20 acres would be spared from the fire. On Aug. 5, the first night of the blaze, Moriarty headed to the chaparral-studded foothills near Julian and watched firefighters and air tankers douse the flames. He went to bed thinking the wolves were out of harm's way. "I woke up the next day and found the fire had jumped the highway," he says. "We had to evacuate the center, and we watched as it just ate the hillside." In the fire's path was a protected area designated for the Mexican wolves - six 3-monch old pups and their parents. The mother and three of the pups perished. Moriarty estimates there are only 250 such wolves in the world, all of which are kept in 40 facilities in the United States and Mexico. "They were hunted nearly to extinction," he says, adding that at one point there were only seven breeding adults left. "They are very carefully tracked and grouped to maxi– mize the genetic diversity of the species. That's what makes this tragedy so devastat– ing. Losing a breeding female and three pups is a serious blow." Moriarty says the nature of the habitat - and of the wolves themselves - made it impossible to capture the animals before the fire got out of hand.

Blaze Cripples Wolf-Breeding Program Prof Hopes to Rebuild After Devastating Pines Fire by Timothy McKernan

"The CWC is not a zoo," he says, "and the wolves are not tame animals. Wolves don't like to be around people and do every– thing they can to avoid them. There was just no way we could have rounded chem up and moved them. " The habitats were constructed to provide sanctuary from fire, with concrete fire dens and large open spaces. The male wolf and three puppies that survived found a den, but the female and the three other pups were overcome by the flames . "If you haven't seen a wildfire, you can't appreciate how fast these things move, " Moriarty says.

The CWC is home to approximately 27 gray wolves -Alaskan, Timber and Arctic, as well as the Mexican. The group's structure was spared, but areas reserved for the wolves, including a nearly complete new enclosure, were destroyed. Although the four Mexican wolves were the only casualties, Moriarty says the others will suffer from the damage. "Large areas of vegetation are completely gone," he says. "The ecosystem is in ruins. We have to figure out a way to replace that - and fast. It is an enormous undertaking." Moriarty's work at the center is directly related to the animal behavior and learning behavior courses he teaches at USD. Students are involved with the center as volunteers and for course credit, and get experience in animal management and conservation. In addition to being a research center, the ewe offers educational programs for schools and the public. For infomation, log on to www.californiawolfcenter.org.

Air tankers attempted to douse the flames, which swept through the protected habitat.

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FALL 2002