Photographer's Travel Date With Wolves Is Completely Surreal

[Kamaal]

For most, wolves are best experienced from a safe distance. A belly-full howl from a faraway, shadowy creature provides ample wolf exposure for the majority. But not all.

Cleo Goossens is a photographer based in Eindhoven in the Netherlands -- and, so we've gathered, a significant wolf enthusiast. (Her dog is named Wolf and her company, Sun of Wolves.) Recently, Goossens visited eight real, very live wolves in Germany, owned by a Dutch man who lives with them in harmony, along with his wife, son and dingo.

The photographs, some in black and white, others in color, some from far away, some startlingly close, capture wolves with an intimacy not often found in nature or wildlife photography. One image presents its subject as the lone wolf in the wild while another depicts a cuddly creature hungry for contact and love. The short but striking series shows the dynamic range of personas that wolves embody, and their surprising capacity to interact with humans.

Here's the full article with all of the photos.

In my opinion, the wolves are as warmhearted as any other animal and yet, we do treat them like they are ruthless killing killing machines, when in fact the only thing they truly want is affection and acceptance.

[Koa]

- moved to Wolf Multimedia -

I don't think either of your "points" are valid; you are humanizing them too much. Wolves can and will attack humans. Do they attack humans here? No. Are they ruthless killing machines? Not exactly, but I think viewing them as predators with the capacity to kill is more viable.

The article says "do not try this at home" for a reason; if all wolves wanted "is acceptance and affection" I believe that warning would not be there.

[Kamaal]

Regarding your post Koa, my explanation was really vague to make someone fully understand what I was trying to explain. Wolves, like all carnivorous animals can and will kill you if you attempt something that they consider a threat. On the other hand, they are not monsters as some characterize them, they are opportunists, who try to survive. (If I remember correctly, there was an article about a mountain lion and a wolf and if I'm not mistaken, towards the end of the fight the canid released the feline.) In my point of view, if you respect the animal itself, it will do the same for you. But nevertheless you should not fool around if you ever get the chance meeting one of them up close.

(Also thank you for moving this, I wasn't exactly sure where to post it.)

[Koa]

Regarding your post Koa, my explanation was really vague to make someone fully understand what I was trying to explain. Wolves, like all carnivorous animals can and will kill you if you attempt something that they consider a threat. On the other hand, they are not monsters as some characterize them, they are opportunists, who try to survive. (If I remember correctly, there was an article about a mountain lion and a wolf and if I'm not mistaken, towards the end of the fight the canid released the feline.) In my point of view, if you respect the animal itself, it will do the same for you. But nevertheless you should not fool around if you ever get the chance meeting one of them up close.

(Also thank you for moving this, I wasn't exactly sure where to post it.)

There is nothing in your first post that remotely suggests this. The only points you brought up were 1) "wolves are not ruthless killing machines" and then went to (2 "all wolves want is acceptance and affection." We don't know what wolves want-- but I guarantee it isn't "acceptance and affection." (Although wolves are driven by instinct and we can argue that their wants correlate to that.) "Acceptance" and "affection" as a want is entirely a human thing.

This article?
http://www.wolfquest.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=76590

The wolf "let go" but by no means was that a "show of respect." You are attributing human behaviors to wolves; their behaviors should not be explained or justified on the basis of a concept that is entirely human because wolves are not humans. The wolf could have been trying to run away-- not "showing respect." The wolf ended up being killed.

[alethe]

Wolves are predators. They do not want love from humans. They do not care about what humans think of them. They will kill for no reason (ie: surplus killing).
While beautiful and rather misunderstood, they are also, at the same time, not human, domestic, loving pets like a dog.

But onto the article, the photos are amazing. Thanks for sharing!

[Jeames]

A Dutch photographer huh? Why have I never heard of this person? They live in the same country as me. xD
Anyway, the pictures look very beautiful!
Though, if I were those people I would be a bit more careful around those wovles and not come too close like that, because even though they're ''domesticated'', they can still attack humans for whatever reason.

[Sambhur]

The photos are gorgeous but man do they make me uncomfortable. I'd be so intimidated and worried if I was one of those people. (I get intimidated by pet macaws because they can bite off a finger if they want to, but unlike wolves at least they wont /kill/ you)

''domesticated''

"Tame" or "tolerant" are better words to use than "domesticated", by the way, simply because "domesticated" is usually associated with generations upon generations of selective breeding, while these are wild animals. (UNLESS you're already aware of this and I read something wrong and you're actually poking fun at what was said in the article - I apologise if that was the case)

[Jeames]

Oh okay, I didn't know that word was used for multiple generations. Thanks. xD
Nah, I wasn't really making fun of the artical, I was actually being serious. So thanks for correcting me.