The Wolf Conservation Trust

The late Roger Palmer, a passionate lover of animals and founder of the UKWCT, visited Alaska in the 1970s.  There he encountered wolves for the first time and upon his return to the UK decided to acquire a wolf himself.  He obtained his first wolf later that year from Kessingland Park in Norfolk at only a few days old. As with all the wolves Roger kept, this first wolf called “My Lady” was hand reared, thereby becoming exceptionally friendly and tolerant to everyone, including children, all her life.  Thereafter Roger and his wife Tsa kept wolves as private individuals for many years, first at Dorney in Buckinghamshire and later moving them to Butlers Farm in Beenham in 1983.  They had some 15 wolves during this period – usually two or three at a time.  The more they learned about wolves the keener they were to dispel the myths and misconceptions that surround them.  Encouraged and inspired by Dr Erich Klinghammer, the founder of Wolf Park in Indiana, Roger and Tsa were persuaded to form the UK Wolf Conservation Trust in 1995.

The aims of the Trust:

·        To enhance the conservation, scientific knowledge and public awareness;

·        To undertake research and allow people to interact with wolves;

·        To improve the chances of survival of wolves in the wild;

·        To run education programmes.

In 1998 the Trust imported three European Wolves Apollo, Athena and Luna from Eastern Europe. They were quarantined at the Trust and much to our delight Luna and Apollo were seen mating in February 1999, the result of which was the birth of 6 cubs on 3rd May 1999. This was reported to be the first birth of European wolves in the UK since they were extirpated from England in the 1500s. Widely celebrated, it was seen as an incredible achievement.

The trust has the support of a number of high profile patrons, including Dr Desmond Morris – world-renowned zoologist, author and painter, perhaps most famous for his TV series The human Animal and The Human Sexes and his books The Naked Ape and Manwatching.