Among Wolves: Gordon Haber's Insights into Alaska's Most Misunderstood Animal

Dr. Gordon Haber's prolonged observation of wolf groups in and around the Denali National Park in Alaska is the only research that I have to give in-depth insight into the wolf family structures. I have read many of the works of L. David Mech and Jim Dutcher, and various other research projects but Haber's credibility is unmatched in his prolonged study of several decades.The book is a great wealth of credible information on the structure of the wolf groups that Dr. Gordon Haber studied. Through decades of research, Dr. Haber had observed extensive wolf interactions within their family group. The intimate relationships between wolves in the groups can easily be admired, especially with the cooperative way wolves raise their young. The strategy, skill and intelligence shown through hunting can be revered as it has once been by older societies. All of this is difficult to present to hunters and trappers like the Alaska Fish and Game Board; this information is not cared about. Wolves have been demonized, and in many cases had become hated by hunters and trappers. It is my personal belief because wolves keep herds moving, and it is much easier to "hunt" a standing herd that is there today, and will be there next year, and the year after and after that year and after that one too.This book gives great insight to the works of wolf groups, but seldom includes the politics that Dr. Gordon Haber had to deal with when advocating for wolves. In example, in the book Dr. Gordon Haber mentions that he had heard the figure of wolf losses being about 20-30% annually due to natural occurrences and that his opposition claims that the hunting and trapping simply replaces those numbers. The book does not include much debate about this, for example: those 20-30% natural losses are through the classic saying of survival of the fittest. Trapping does not discriminate and can easily remove the fittest of the population, which is an evolutionary setback as those genes are no longer available to continue the population. Hunting is directly aiming for the largest and fittest which is damning to the population of wolves, caribou and moose alike. Or we can focus on if this statement were true, then the efforts to cull the population are pointless, as stated by the advocates of the culling programs themselves. Further more if this statement had any shred of truth to it, then it applies for the moose and caribou populations. Human hunting only replaces natural losses, then why is there a need to artificially boost the numbers? The entire statement is critically flawed. I am surprised the book did not expand more on that, and I am unsure if Dr. Haber has more information to counter such a critically flawed statement.Among Wolves (2013) also mentioned that Dr. Gordon Haber was confronted with the claim that wolves are causing massive moose and caribou decline. It is mentioned that this is a natural rise and fall over ungulate populations over generations, and this is especially true in certain wildlife populations. Lemmings for example are notorious for having massive spikes in their population, followed by a very quick and drastic fall a year or two later. Are foxes and raptors to blame for this drastic fall? The thousands of rotting corpses that go uneaten would certainly prove not. Not as drastic but the rise and fall in ungulate populations are natural just as well. There is no threat of ungulates being decimated because of the fact that fossil records prove that predators and ungulates have lived together for hundreds thousands of years, both of them at the top of the evolutionary food chain. Even more recently with the surviving records of the native humans on the american continents, they lived with wolves and ungulates for thousands of years and revered wolves as their ability to work together to take down much larger prey.Finally I am surprised that the predator-livestock relations regarding wolves was not brought up in the book. I could go into this by explaining that other predator conservation projects, like the Cheetah Conservation Fund, have proven very successful with guard dog programs, but the book hadn't touched up on that subject.Dr. Gordon Haber's research presented through Among Wolves (2013) focuses on the health of the wolf population and early in the book it is mentioned that most of his research is about the overall health of the ecosystem. That is the most valuable, and this book presents how the death of a few key individuals of a single wolf group can change the ecosystem. Wolves are and have always been the cornerstone predator in the world; without them we have the overpopulation seen in Yellowstone that lead to starvation, disease and a boon in parasites.I highly recommend this book to give in-depth knowledge in the lives of wolves, and basic knowledge on how to take a stand in defense of the cornerstone species of the North American continent.

I first knew Gordon in the early 1970's during his years as a grad student, and followed his work for the next 40 years or so.. Unfortunately he died in a plane crash before publishing most of his findings. His passion for wolves was outstanding. But it raised too many doubts about his objectivity, which is one reason why he did not have enough support from scientific organizations to conduct and document his research more thoroughly and systematically. He left behind at least 20 handwritten journals, from which excerpts were taken for this overview of his findings. But this is just the iceberg tip. Hopefully someone will soon spend the time to go through his journals and pull out a lot more of what he learned. It will not be easy. He has personal names for a lot of places, etc. which are in effect a personal code that is hard for anyone else to decipher. One would have to search through these journals carefully to piece together the information. I tried reading them and realized they would be a multi-year chore for someone else. They are stored at the Consortium Library of the U of Alaska, Anchorage. I'd suggest transcribing them word by word onto a computer, so that key word searches can be used to start organizing and interpreting the material. (Steve Stringham, wildlife biologist)

This book, written by an Alaskan author following the tragic death of wolf researcher Gordon Haber, provides the reader with an articulate synopsis of Dr. Haber's 43 years of study in Denali National Park. The book provides access to the thorough and comprehensive field notes taken by Dr. Haber of his year-round aerial surveys and intensive observations around wolf dens and illustrates through a series of high quality photographs many facets of wolf behavior, emphasizing family group predation strategies and care of the pups. Dr. Haber's insights show how especially destructive is the death of the oldest and most experienced family member to group cohesion and stability. The book also shows how vigorous were Dr. Haber's efforts to conserve Denali's wolves and how frequently his conservation ethic clashed with those who believe that "the only good wolf is a dead wolf." Essential reading for those interested in wolf behavior, ecology, conservation, and politics.

If Ms Holleman had not put all Haber's work in one accessible spot for all of us to read and contemplate Dr Haber's work much to the now thwarted joy of the state of Alaska's Board of Game would have passed into oblivion and they could continue their unrestrained predator control killing of wolves (and bears and coyotes) with less visibility and review. But the appearance of this book informs all of us, Alaskans and otherwise, that the state of Alaska is at war with its wildlife. Gordon Haber fought them against all odds but the opposition has been sustained by Ms Holleman. This book will raise the awareness of everyone about what is happening in Alaska to one of Creation's finest creatures. It is amazing that she collected all his notebooks, photos, and anything that had to do with wolves and organized it in a readable account of decades of serious research by the dean of wolf researchers. It the best wolf book I have come across and it's full of Haber's work of over 40 years. It certainly opened my eyes to what wolves are all about and their greatest threat: the state of Alaska.

I didn't really know much about Gordon Haber or the Denali Wolves before I read this book, but now I feel humbled by the story of both.The book is beautifully written, and contains some amazing photos. The Denali wolves are some of the longest studied mammals on the planet, and this research should be invaluable to any science based approach to any so called management. Gordon's research shows the impacts all kinds of scenario's have on the sociology of the wolf groups, it also provides very valuable insights to the mechanics of family groups. The research shows that you cannot manage wolves by numbers, as the death of just one alpha wolf can have a massive impact upon the rest of the group. In short randomly killing wolves can have the opposite effect to that which it is done for.Gordon Haber seemed a remarkable man, whose sole purpose in life was to document the wolves of Denali, and above all educate and change people's perceptions of wolves in general. He dedicated the vast majority of his life intricately following the lives of the family (Gordon refused to use the work pack) groups that inhabited Denali National Park. He seemed to do this with the utmost humility, compassion and respect for these animals. It would be nice to think that he did this against a back drop of pristine wilderness, untouched by the hand of man. Unfortunately this could not be further from the truth though. Gordon followed these wolves' lives through a back-drop of government extermination programmes, botched radio collaring attempts, and intense and nearly year round hunting and trapping of the wolves. There are parts of the book which nearly had me in tears, but then this must have been nothing compared to what Gordon must have gone through on those lonely days back in his cabin, after having to leave one of his beloved wolves struggling in a snare trap - that must have been heart breaking. The thing is though, we can shy away from these things, and go back to our comfortable little world where everything is fluffy - or we can decide to fight for what's right. This is exactly what Gordon did for the Denali wolves, and all other wolves.It is only for people like Gordon Haber, that one day we will look back on our sad history of the abuse of our wildlife, and wonder how ever did we sit by and let that happen.There is a saying by a famous Jersey Lady which says: "It is better to light one small candle, than to drown in the darkness." - and this is exactly what Gordon did, against a mountain of people who still live in the past, and believe the only good wolf is a dead wolf, and that these animals have no rights when it comes to ethical treatment. I hope that Gordon's legacy can be the catalyst for the change that leads to a more peaceful coexistence with these intelligent, highly sociable and beautiful creatures.One of the main reasons (and the same is true of Yellowstone) that people visit Denali National Park, is to see wolves. In allowing the continued persecution of these animals these people are in effect biting the hand that feeds them, and this is a sad reflection on Alaska.

Thank you

Good book that explains the incorrect myths about wolfs.

One of the very best wolf books you could have! Excellent research beyond the general (and sometimes dated) information. Field notes made accessible and give one a sense of being on the land - in the company of Haber and the wolves. Highly readable and entertaining, as well as been one of the best scientific tours. Haber's bravery ethical stand were/are a rarity, and his insights hard earned. Marybeth Holleman has done a great service in compiling and publishing his work for the wolf, public and wildlife professionals...thus his research remain a 'living' work.

I learned so much fascinating information about the complex depth of relationships between wolves in their family groups and many myths debunked. The loss of Haber was a terrible blow to conservation efforts for wolves in the U.S. and I am compelled to find out what is happening in Canada. Everyone should read this book.