Wolves are often thought of as scary and tough animals, and honestly, I would be really scared to come across one in real life.
The big grey wolf that walks with Danielle at the start is called Kekoa, which means “brave one” in Hawaiian.
Kekoa is different from most wolves and doesn’t fit the usual image people have of them.
Even though she deserves respect, she also shows a lot of respect for people, especially for a woman named Danielle.
Kekoa lives the good life at the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, an animal sanctuary near Colorado Springs.
She, like the other animals in the sanctuary, stays there because she can’t make it on her own in the wild.
Danielle is a team member who has formed an amazing bond with the huge wolf.
The first time I saw Kekoa and Danielle having fun together, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It’s such a fantastic and unbelievable scene, especially when you notice how much larger Kekoa is than Danielle.
Even though he looks strong and majestic, he’s actually a giant softie! He tips the scales at 115 pounds, and when he puts his front paws on someone’s shoulders, he stands around 7 feet tall!
Just when you think you’ve seen everything, another wolf named Sakura shows up and wants to snuggle too.
In a chat with The Dodo, wildlife center worker Michelle Smith shared:
“Because he was raised by humans and bottle-fed since birth, he’s really good at being around people. But that doesn’t mean he’s domesticated or tame. He’s still a wild animal, and you can see that when he’s with his sister. A wolf in the wild wouldn’t behave like this.”
What the amazing video clip here:
Wild wolves haven’t lived in Colorado since the 1940s, but it seems like they might be coming back soon.
The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center gives guided, educational tours about wolves and their importance to ecosystems to more than 40,000 people a year.
Spread the word about this story to help people learn more about wolves and support the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in making a positive impact!
