Aspirational life lessons from maligned cousin of man’s best friend
“Jim and Jamie Dutcher offer a rare and insightful view into the hidden lives of wolves. Though this species is often misunderstood, these remarkable animals have much to teach us if we will take the time to learn.”
—Robert Redford
“I believe that this book, so compelling in its authenticity, will help you understand why I feel shocked and saddened by the way that wolves are misunderstood and persecuted. And you will, I am sure, want to join the fight to protect them.” —Jane Goodall, DBE,PhD
Empathetic…nurturing… devoted… family oriented…cooperative. These are, likely, not words that come to mind when one thinks of a wolf, but they are precisely the qualities that define one of nature’s most complex creatures, maligned in fairytales and legend yet sharing the exact same DNA as man’s best friend, the dog. In THE WISDOM OF WOLVES (published by National Geographic), authors Jim and Jamie Dutcher share the knowledge and life lessons they gleaned from wolves during the six years they lived with multiple generations of a wolf pack in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho as well as nearly 30 years of wolf conservation and educational outreach. The trust the Dutchers were able to build with wolves gave them unprecedented access to every aspect of wolf society and allowed them to witness the intimate family-oriented side of wolves never before seen by people. Their book is endorsed by Robert Redford and Jane Goodall, among many other animal behavior experts, biologists and conservationists.
In the years since living with wolves, the Dutchers have worked tirelessly with scientists, researchers and other wolf experts to provide a deeper and current understanding of wolf behavior. They have appeared on Morning Joe, NPR’s Diane Rehm Show and been featured in The Washington Post and The New York Times among other outlets. Intimate photos capturing the Dutchers’ experience with wolves have been featured at the Russell Senate Office Building Rotunda in Washington, D.C. as well as at the Field Museum in Chicago. Current photo exhibitions are on display at the Detroit Zoo and at the Aspen, CO airport with additional exhibition plans in other major U.S. cities as well as an upcoming online interactive experience.
About the Authors:
JIM DUTCHER is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and cinematographer whose extraordinary camerawork has led audiences into places never before filmed: inside beaver lodges, down burrows to peek at wolf pups, and into the secret life of a mother mountain lion. His work includes the National Geographic special, A Rocky Mountain Beaver Pond, and ABC World of Discovery’s two highest-rated films, Cougar: Ghost of the Rockies and Wolf: Return of a Legend.
JAMIE DUTCHER, who won an Emmy Award for her sound recording of the Sawtooth Pack’s vocalizations, is Jim’s co-producer and a still photographer. Since she has worked in the animal hospital of the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., she was able to bring her knowledge of animal husbandry and medical care to film and quickly gain access to the sensitive and secret inner lives of wolves.
To hear our interview with Jim and Jamie, click the grey podcast bar below