Gray wolves have been on and off the list of the Endangered Species Act numerous times over the years. Unfortunately the reasons often involve political views and are not necessarily based on scientific fact. As a keystone species, wolves play an integral role in keeping balance in a healthy ecosystem. It is imperative now, as much as ever, to do all we can to protect this great species and continue to provide educational programs about the need for and the importance of the wolf's role in maintaining balance in nature!
Wolf Mountain Nature Center is a non-profit, 501c3 organization registered with CharitiesNYS.com (#49-06-68). We are regulated and inspected by the DEC and USDA, however, we get NO financial support from the government! All of our funding comes from admission fees, general donations, sponsorships, and proceeds from gift shop sales, as well as an occasional small grant. In addition, the center is run entirely by educated, dedicated volunteers who are committed to advocating for wolves and their preservation.
Please consider helping us with a donation and/or sponsorship (see our 'sponsorship' link). Every dollar you give goes directly towards helping Wolf Mountain Nature Center pursue its mission of quality animal care and public education!
We need your help & support to allow us to continue and to grow in our mission!
Wolf Mountain Nature Center is a non-profit, 501c3 organization registered with CharitiesNYS.com (#49-06-68). We are regulated and inspected by the DEC and USDA, however, we get NO financial support from the government! All of our funding comes from admission fees, general donations, sponsorships, and proceeds from gift shop sales, as well as an occasional small grant. In addition, the center is run entirely by educated, dedicated volunteers who are committed to advocating for wolves and their preservation.
Please consider helping us with a donation and/or sponsorship (see our 'sponsorship' link). Every dollar you give goes directly towards helping Wolf Mountain Nature Center pursue its mission of quality animal care and public education!
We need your help & support to allow us to continue and to grow in our mission!
Dedicated to the spirit of the wolf, past, present, and future.
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Objective Goals:
- To conduct on-site educational programs about timely wolf, coyote, and Arctic Fox-related issues, biology, behaviors, communication, social structure, and environmental changes.
- To encourage and foster an understanding and awareness of wolf, coyote, and Arctic Fox history and the role in which these animals contribute to enhancing the ecosystem by helping to maintain balance.
- To provide a place where observation of natural behavior is possible. At the Wolf Mountain Nature Center, the animals can interact very much as they normally do in the wild, enjoying a quality of life which promotes physical and psychological health.
- To research and teach ways to reduce predation by wolves on domestic livestock.
- To promote and support the well being of wolves, coyote, and Arctic Fox in the wild.
- To improve the lives of captive animals through well designed enclosures, enrichment techniques and socialization programs designed to eliminate stress and enhance their life.
- To exhibit a model design for zoos and wildlife parks.
- To provide educational programs focusing on current environmental issues such as forest ecology, effects of climate change on habitats and wildlife, and using clean alternative energy sources including solar and wind power.
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Meet our Director:
Erin Lord-Astles, Director
Erin Lord-Astles
... is a graduate of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a BS in Wildlife Science. During her college years, Erin worked on several service projects including removing trash from the Ohio River watershed, trail building in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and several stream clean ups in both Ontario and Onondaga counties. Erin also assisted several graduate research projects including an eastern coyote diet assessment, as well as a river otter latrine survey.
In 2013, Erin volunteered for Wolf Mountain and participated in some facility projects and assisted during public tours and events. In 2014 Erin accepted a position as a California sea lion trainer and swing keeper at The Utica Zoo, where she was trained in zoo practices for domestic and exotic hoofstock, reptiles, birds, primates, invertebrates, and small carnivores. Erin then went on to work for Bridges for Brain Injury in 2016 where she helped people recovering from traumatic brain injury become skilled in animal husbandry, enrichment, and public outreach.
In 2017, Erin accepted a position as an adjunct instructor at Finger Lakes Community College where she teaches an introductory course on Wildlife Field Techniques. Her students learn how to design and conduct wildlife field surveys via use of track ID and tracking, camera trapping, radio-telemetry, small mammal trapping, and gray squirrel tagging. Erin also currently functions as a Conservation Outreach Educator at the FLCC Muller Field Station where she leads K-12 and college students on environmental education activities and canoe tours of the Honeoye inlet.
Erin is dedicated to promoting wildlife conservation and stewardship of nature. In her spare time, Erin and her husband John are working towards the goal of opening a small wildlife education center on their 20 acre farm in the Finger Lakes region. It is Erin’s passion to provide a better understanding of animal behavior and ecological value by helping people find meaningful connections to the natural world.
... is a graduate of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a BS in Wildlife Science. During her college years, Erin worked on several service projects including removing trash from the Ohio River watershed, trail building in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and several stream clean ups in both Ontario and Onondaga counties. Erin also assisted several graduate research projects including an eastern coyote diet assessment, as well as a river otter latrine survey.
In 2013, Erin volunteered for Wolf Mountain and participated in some facility projects and assisted during public tours and events. In 2014 Erin accepted a position as a California sea lion trainer and swing keeper at The Utica Zoo, where she was trained in zoo practices for domestic and exotic hoofstock, reptiles, birds, primates, invertebrates, and small carnivores. Erin then went on to work for Bridges for Brain Injury in 2016 where she helped people recovering from traumatic brain injury become skilled in animal husbandry, enrichment, and public outreach.
In 2017, Erin accepted a position as an adjunct instructor at Finger Lakes Community College where she teaches an introductory course on Wildlife Field Techniques. Her students learn how to design and conduct wildlife field surveys via use of track ID and tracking, camera trapping, radio-telemetry, small mammal trapping, and gray squirrel tagging. Erin also currently functions as a Conservation Outreach Educator at the FLCC Muller Field Station where she leads K-12 and college students on environmental education activities and canoe tours of the Honeoye inlet.
Erin is dedicated to promoting wildlife conservation and stewardship of nature. In her spare time, Erin and her husband John are working towards the goal of opening a small wildlife education center on their 20 acre farm in the Finger Lakes region. It is Erin’s passion to provide a better understanding of animal behavior and ecological value by helping people find meaningful connections to the natural world.
Erin with Tamarack as a pup!
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Identifying wild coyote tracks!
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Putting in enclosure poles with hubby John
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Meet our Founder and Head Animal Curator:
 Will Pryor, Founder & Head Animal Caretaker
Will & Nakoa
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Will Pryor
...is the center's founder, head animal curator, and resident ecologist. His love of animals, and especially of wolves, began when he was a very young boy. Twice a week his mother would take him to the local zoo where Will would be most impressed by the wolves. At night he would often dream of escaping city life on a train and arriving in an area of forests and meadows where he would run with the wolves. Will says, "I have never felt as free as I did in those dreams". From a very young age he experienced a solid connection with nature and wolves. "I drew pictures of wolves and spent most of my days in school looking out the window and dreaming of that special place. As I grew older I read almost every book that I could find about wolves and nature. When asked what I wanted to be when I got older, I always responded that I wanted to live where there were lots of trees and wolves, and that I would one day have a nature center with wolves, and people could come and learn about them". Will earned a Bachelor degree in Environmental Science and a Master degree in Environmental Policy. He has studied animal behaviors for many years, attended seminars at Wolf Park on captive wolf management, and has literally thousands of hours of hands-on experience working with wolves, coyotes, and fox. Will is also a designer/builder of exceptional natural animal enclosures, creates/implements enrichment activities and educational programs, and has done much of the landscaping and fence building around the center. Truly passionate about the animals and their welfare, Will never compromises his dedication to the center. |
Teaching elementary students about alternative energy
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Dancing Turtle & Will
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Will posing with a log lean -to used by the wolves.
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Will leading a group discussion about wolf dens without the wolves of course!
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Tamarack focused on Will
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