Shaman

Born on May 2, 1988 at Bear Country, SD
Arrived at Mission: Wolf on June 1, 1988
Passed away on May 8, 2004

Sex: Male
Lived with Ghostdancer, Little Bear

Did you know? It takes $3,000 a year just to feed and care for one of our wolves. By giving $5 or more a month, you can take a wolf to dinner by becoming a Wolf Caretaker.

Shaman’s Story

Shaman was born in the spring of 1988 at a roadside wildlife park in South Dakota. He was one of the most intense males that has lived at the refuge and also one of the most influential teachers. Shaman spent the first three years of his life traveling and meeting people all over the United States as an Ambassador Wolf.  Living up to his name, which means “teacher,” he has not only served as an ambassador to thousands of people, he taught Sila, Peaches, and Bear how to greet an audience. Within three years he had appeared on nearly every television network including the NBC Today Show and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. As he matured, his willingness to travel faded and he retired to the refuge. By the age of four he had fully matured and viewed his female human companions as part of his pack but started to threaten and challenge the human males he knew.

Shaman’s lifelong companions were two smaller females, Ghost and Little Bear. Together they would gang up on big Shaman and drag him around by his neck in play. However, when it came to feeding time Shaman was clearly the alpha and thought all food was for him. This led to many inventive feeding practices. Shaman ultimately retired to the director’s residence, where he lived the rest of his life with his old friend, Ghost.