Last Saturday, October 2nd, there was a meeting for those who are involved in the wolf monitoring project in the Świętokrzyskie region. Volunteers from different parts of Poland gathered in a small town near Skarżysko-Kamienna to discuss issues related to wolf conservation and, perhaps most importantly, to finally get to know each other personally. Among the newcomers there were experienced trackers as well as “fresh blood” who were just learning how to recognize wolf tracks and simulate the continuous howling of the inhabitants of wilderness. We all share the same passion for nature and long walks in the woods in search of wolf tracks, so there were plenty of forest stories and anecdotes from the tracks.

At 17:00, we established a remote connection with members of the wolf team who could not make it to the reunion in person, as well as with representatives of the SAVE Fund.

At 7:00 p.m., as dusk fell, we began a trip into the forest in search of wolves. During the expedition, the participants had the opportunity to try simulating the wolf’s howl and then listen to the predators’ responses. Fortunately, a few wolf groups responded very quickly, and

upon hearing the sounds made by humans, they almost immediately reacted with a long, choral howl, accompanied by the barks and squeaks of several pups. In order not to disturb the forest inhabitants for too long, after a few minutes the members of the trip set off back to the base, taking with them a valuable find encountered on the way – wolf excrement. Packed in a plastic bag, the droppings were placed in the freezer, where they will wait to be analyzed to learn more about the components of a wolf’s diet.

After returning from the forest, with a warm tea, the participants shared their impressions from the night expedition, planned the activities for the nearest time and when the midnight started to approach, they officially ended the meeting and went to their homes.

Joanna Toczydłowska