South Salem Wolf Conservation Center

@benskaar

New York

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South Salem

The Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, New York is a not-for-profit environmental education organization working to protect and preserve wolves in North America. They currently house three ambassador wolves, Alawa, Zephyr and Nikai (Alawa pictured here), along with 21 Mexican gray wolves and 10 critically endangered red wolves. Watching the wolves explore their expansive enclosure is extremely eye opening to what incredible creatures they are. However, my favorite times during my visit at the Wolf Conservation Center must have been when each of the ambassador wolves would unleash their harmonizing howls, leading wolves from the other enclosures to do the same. WCC is undoubtedly a life-changing experience for those who do not often get so close to wildlife and the photos taken inside are one in a million!

Plan

Overview

Skill level

Moderate

Accessbility

Hours

General office hours are 9AM-5PM and the WCC operates six days per week Tues-Sun. Visits must be scheduled through the website: https://nywolf.org/.

Fee

$100

Pack

Telephoto lens (70-400 mm range; 174mm)
Tripod
Sturdy hiking shoes
Proper outdoor clothing
Bug spray
Snacks (for individual consumption)

How to get there

N41° 16' 47.388"W73° 35' 05.6508"

To capture this image of the ambassador wolf, I walked down the fence from the viewing platform at the ambassador wolves' enclosure. This perspective allowed me to photograph Alawa's side profile as she stared at the crowd. In order to arrive on location, put "7 Buck Run St, South Salem, NY 10590" into your GPS service of choice. On NY-35, you'll see a white sign saying "BUCK RUN", which is where you'll turn. Drive up the road until you reach a metal gate. Park near the gate and walk up the remaining hundred feet to the facility. It's especially important to have proper footwear in the winter months, as the walk up to the buildings can be slippery. Once you've walked up the hill, you'll be greeted by your guide and led to the enclosure to view the ambassador wolves.

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