A wolf named Romeo, appeared one day outside of Juneau, and began a six-year odyssey of relationships with local dogs, curious onlookers, the predictable wolf haters and those who understood enough biology to be both riveted and worried about what might eventually happen.
Romeo (c. 2003 – 2009) was a nearly 140 lbs black wolf named Romeo. He was an Alexander Archipelago, a rare subspecies of the gray wolf, who lived in the Mendenhall Valley, in Juneau, Alaska. He was known for his friendly interactions with dogs and people. He interacted more or less successfully with locals, tourists, cross-country skiers, and their dogs for six years until he met his end by a despicable man, who came to Juneau for the purpose to hunt the wolf and kill him, Juneau not being that known for having a lot of wolves. It was very obvious why this man, a hunter from another state, came to Juneau.
Juneau, winter 2003, appeared this wolf, out of the morning fog. Nobody knows for sure why this wolf came to Juneau. Some theories are that his pack was killed, and Romeo went his own way to find a mate to form his own pack. Being a young wolf, it is very likely that Romeo just chose to leave his pack to find a female to form his own pack. There are a lot of wolves in British Columbia, Canada, a province that borders Juneau. That’s probably how he ended up in Juneau, in Alaska.
A lot of people think of wolves as snarling villains of folklore. Because of how they are portrayed in movies and media, like sharks, pit bulls, they got a very bad reputation as this big bad wolf that kills humans and children, when in reality, like most wild animals, they just want to be left alone. Attacks from wolves are actually very rare. Usually a wild animal will attack humans if it is sick, weak or feels threatened. Wolves are very social animals that form a very strong bond with their pack. They live in packs of 4-12 members. Nowadays, because of hunting, packs have gotten a lot smaller. Killing one wolf can destroy the whole pack dynamic. Wolves are vulnerable and just prefer to live with a pack. Like dogs, they are very social and need companionship, which is probably another reason why Romeo decided to stick around Juneau, as people started to bring their dogs to play with him.
Romeo’s desire to be near people seems driven by a loneliness that borders on desperation. With neighborhood dogs, he was very playful, inspiring the author’s wife of the book written by Nick Jans, to call him “Romeo.” Wherever Romeo came from, it’s obvious from the beginning ,that he was caught between his world and ours, as Jans observed.
As winter turns to spring and months turn into years, the wolf’s constant presence in Juneau raises an important question: Should a wild predator live so close to humans, even if he’s “friendly”? For Jans, the desire to understand Romeo is deeply personal, fueled by regrets about his own wolf-hunting past, which he writes about. The story is also a sort of collective reckoning, as he meditates on the evolution from wolf to dog and the persecution of wolves throughout the American frontier. To me, it seems a lot of people who raised or spend a lot of time studying wildlife, have a much better understanding of wild animals. A lot of people who raised their own Coyotes, wolves, foxes, stopped completely killing the species of animal they raised as they got a better understanding of their lives and their purpose on earth.
Nick Jans was one of the first people to spot the wolf. His dog is actually on the cover of the book he wrote, “A wolf named Romeo”, during the wolf and dog’s first meeting when Jans was sure his dog was about to die. Instead, Romeo began a unique and compelling relationship with local dogs, authorities and wolf detractors, all beautifully described by Jans.
The dogs were equally intrigued, and the first up-close meetings occurred between dogs who slipped their leashes or pulled away from their humans’ to go meet this large animal that could have easily hurt them, if he really wanted to. Young wolves are actually very playful in the wild, within their pack. They love to wrestle with each other, just like dogs do together. It’s a very important activity for a wolf and also a way to burn extra energy. They are a lot like dogs, but wolves definitely play more with that of a cat style play than a dog. You can see that in northern breeds of dogs, like huskies and malamute.
Over the next several months and years, Romeo made friends with several dogs and a few humans. He watched them arrive, follow them, hang out, play with the dogs, and otherwise conduct himself as any walking partner and friend would, without ever hurting an animal or a person.
Jans and a few other humans who spent considerable time with the wolf shared their stories as well as their fears of the wolf becoming too comfortable around humans. An even greater fear: Naive or clueless humans doing something stupid that resulted in a dog or child being harmed. Despite many, somethings stupid, such as parents pushing their toddlers into the wolf’s company to get a photo, the wolf never harmed any human. On one occasion, Romeo did grab a small dog, a pug, and carried him by his harness, running away with the dog, only to release the pug moments later unharmed. Why he did that is a mystery !
As the wolf’s fan club grew, so too did the band of wolf haters. One person in particular claimed that the wolf ran off with his dog. The dog never did reappear, but there was also no evidence of the wolf’s involvement. The dog could have gotten lost, attacked by a bear, a mountain lion, there are so many other possibilities other than Romeo, who had never hurt a dog. Wolf haters are just that, haters. I never understood their irrational hate toward wolves, and I spent countless hours on Facebook debating a few, reading forums where the hate is shared, mostly among men, who then also teach their kids that wolves are dangerous. This naive and uneducated fear of wolves just baffles me. Unfortunately, this is a story that doesn’t have a good ending. It’s depressing and sad for any human who loves animals. Wolves face the continued threat of legal and illegal hunting, trapping, and habitat loss due to logging.
In the coming weeks, months and years, people came to catch a glimpse of the sociable wolf, who tolerated the presence of people and played with every dog that came his way. As a result, it became somewhat normal to find Romeo in the park. As Nick said, “On a typical winter day, he’d be in position before first light to meet the pre-work and early-morning dog-walking crowd, as if he’d punched a time clock; of course, he preferred his favorite people, but in a pinch, others would do.”
Nick’s friend Harry Robinson had an incredibly close relationship with Romeo. For example, when Romeo saw Harry and his dog, the wolf would bring out toys that he’d hidden. One was a Styrofoam float. Romeo would pick it up and bring it to Harry to throw. Though he was a wild animal, he clearly somehow understood the sort of behaviors that we see in dogs. It is a known fact that any intelligent animal, from killer whales to wolverines, engage in play when they are at leisure and aren’t engaged in survival. Playing is an important part in a wolf’s life.
Wild wolves are typically shy and avoid humans contact, but this wolf was different. He enjoyed the company of people and their dogs, perhaps because he was alone. Eager to socialize, he returned again and again to see his new friends. This makes me really think of my own Wolf Hybrid that i raised and brought to the dog park almost every day.. He would so look forward to play with other dogs at the park. He made very many friends and even made a pair of best friend that he preferred. Both locals and visitors alike looked forward to these encounters with Romeo. The big, friendly wolf romped in the snow with the dogs, playing together for long periods on the frozen Mendenhall Lake, which is a very popular spot for people living in Juneau. I personally went there for two months in the winter time and it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s wild, the glacier is gorgeous and it’s breathtaking.
In the spring, as the frozen lake melted, Romeo parted ways with his human and dog friends. He would live on his own below Mendenhall Glacier until the lakes froze again in the fall. Then, Romeo would return to live at the edge of the wilderness alongside the community. For six years, the wolf was a friend of everyone in Juneau. Romeo formed bonds with locals like Harry Robinson and his dog, exploring the wilderness for hours on end. His journey was carefully documented by photographer John Hyde, who captured the magic of Romeo’s remarkable life in stunning winter snapshots.
In the fall of 2009, Romeo appeared as usual, excited to see his friends. On September 18, after hiking with Harry and his dog, he suddenly disappeared without a trace. After an extensive investigation, it was discovered that Romeo had been illegally shot by poachers from out of state. Despite overwhelming evidence against them, the poachers were not held accountable, and justice was not served for Romeo’s death. While the killers received a slap on the wrist, like every hunter that kills wolves illegally, the devastation they caused left a deep wound in the hearts of Juneau’s community who had come to love him as a member of their family. People just don’t understand that. Some are so eager and have tunnel vision with their hate of certain animals that they go out of their way to kill said animals and seek glorification among other hunters. It doesn’t matter that they break people’s hearts with their delusional and irrational hate. This is but all too common to wolves in Yellowstone park. People keep doing it because the punishment is not harsh enough.
The average lifespan of a wolf in the wild is three to six years. Romeo was full grown when he showed up one day in Juneau. He then lived and played among the townspeople and their dogs for six years. It wasn’t a hunting expedition that caused Romeo’s end, it was more a tragic massacre of a beloved animal that people got to know and spend time with. To them, he wasn’t just a wolf, a wild animal, he was a lot more than that. Some of the townspeople even refer to it as murder, and I can only agree with that statement. Juneau resident Park Myers III and his friend, Pennsylvanian Jeff Peacock shot and killed Romeo. Both men were arrested and ended up paying fines and serving a few years on probation. As a result, they also lost their hunting and fishing privileges for a limited time. took the life of not just a beautiful, innocent animal, but one that truly tried to befriend humans, dogs and the man-made world. Romeo certainly had a more mindful soul than the people who took his life.
They get to get on with their lives while they break people’s hearts, claiming they did not know that they had shot Romeo… *Insert Eyeroll* It’s absolutely disgusting that people can get away with doing something like this, just because the animal happens to be a wild wolf. But this animal will be remembered for many more years because his story was so unusual and he touched the lives of so many. I can only imagine what a feeling it must have been like, to share your life with such a majestic animal that trusts humans, even though humans are the ones that took his life. Rest in peace sweet boy, you will always be remembered.