Humble beginnings...

The North American Wolf Foundation (NAWF) was founded by Paul C. Soffron in 1988. To this day, Paul's original mission, To preserve the wolf in the wild, through education and exposure, remains the cornerstone of the work we do everyday. Within a year from being established, NAWF broke ground in Ipswich, Massachusetts and during this time our current directors, Joni and Zee Soffron, acquired behavioral and animal husbandry training from leading wolf experts at Wolf Park, a world-renowned wolf research facility in Battle Ground, Indiana.

Two years after establishing the foundation as a state and federally licensed 501(c)3 non-profit organization, we opened our gates to the public in September of 1990. Earlier that same year, the North American Wolf Foundation, more commonly known today as Wolf Hollow, obtained our original pack of gray wolf ambassadors. Our pack of British Columbian timber wolves started with five pups donated by other facilities in the United States. The original five were from three different litters so that a family could be started at the facility. And in 1992, a female named Alyki, would be the first pup to be born at Wolf Hollow.

By 1995 Wolf Hollow had become an established member of the community of educational conservation organizations for wild canids in the U.S and, in November of that year, Wolf Hollow hosted the Northeast Wolf Recovery conference with representatives from 16 organizations. Our achievements coincided with our nation's milestone project of the recovery of the gray wolf in the lower 48 states centered around Yellowstone National Park.

In response to overwhelming attendance, interest, and support, Wolf Hollow constructed the public viewing pavilion in 1999. That same year, Massachusetts State Representative Brad Hill presented Joni Soffron a proclamation signed by the Speaker of the House recognizing Wolf Hollow for "their diligent and innovative work to further the public's understanding of wolves."

A new chapter begins...

As early as 2002, we began to see the start of a political tug of war that has the North American wolf, yet again, caught in the crosshairs. In May 2011, Senator Jon Tester (D) - Montana, inserted controversial language into a standard federal budget bill. Slipped in as a rider, mostly unnoticed by the general public, federal protections for the gray wolf, granted by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, were removed in 6 states (ID, MT, WY, MN, WI, and MI). Further language inserted into the rider aimed to ban citizens, as well as court systems, from challenging the wolf delisting decision while simultaneously preserving anti-wolf litigation.

Over the last few decades we, as a community, have made great strides championing for the protection of the wolves in the wild. Though we may have won many battles, the war is far from over! Now, more than ever, Wolf Hollow is committed to our mission to protect the gray wolf and its habitat.