MADADH

“So dawn goes down today, nothing gold can stay”

Luke Smith, one of our long term volunteers, quoted this from a beautiful poem by Robert Frost.

It speaks volumes about the cycles of nature, but also reflects on loss and that nothing, especially the best, can last forever.

It’s hugely appropriate in describing the reality of losing Madadh.

Along with her brother Kgosi, Madadh arrived at Wolf Watch almost 19 years ago at the tender age of 8 days.

They were small bundles of fur mainly solid black in colour just a hint of brown around their heads.

When not asleep, their only purpose in life was to suck milk formula from a tiny bottle with a ferocity that gave meaning to the word ‘survival.’

Their eyes had not yet opened, so, for better or worse, some 4 days later I featured prominently in their first glimpse of the outside world.

Small milky blue eyes showed little recognition or focus, but the search for milk was relentless and eased quietly to a standstill only after capacity was reached and a swollen undercarriage radiated contentment and the passage into sleep was complete.

I doubt that any prediction of how Madadh and her brother was to affect my life in the years to follow could have contained a great deal of accuracy.

On reflection, it could be summed up in a few words:

‘Nothing else could have delivered the depth of pleasure that the sum of experiences of being around them gave to me.’

‘It’s been a privilege to have shared in their lives.’

Madadh was an exceptional Wolf. Whilst always her own Boss, she was also the most socialised example of her species that I have ever met or heard of.

She loved meeting people. The mutual excitement of Wolf and Human at the point of greeting, was mirrored in their faces and as I write this

the volume of messages and expressions of sadness at her passing, indicates the depth of feeling and the extent to which she touched so many people’s lives.

I, along with so many others, will miss her greatly.

Thank You for all you support, without which Wolf Watch would not exist.

Tony.