“‘Grandmother, what big teeth you have!’ ‘All the better to eat you up with.’ And, saying these words, the wicked wolf fell upon Little Red Riding Hood and ate her all up.” –folktale

Let’s admit it—we have a love-hate relationship with the wolf. Few animals have left as profound a mark on our collective childhood as Canis lupus. Devourer of little girls, tormentor of little pigs, the Big Bad Wolf has been our go-to villain for centuries. But this infamous reputation comes at a steep cost. Since the 19th century, wolves have been the target of mass extermination campaigns in America as the country expanded westward. To this day, you don’t have to venture far into the Northern Rockies or any other place where these endangered animals have begun to make a timid comeback to hear the irrational fear of wolves creeping back into public discourse.

Enter Earthjustice and our partnership with the Creative Action Network, a global community of artists and designers who harness their craft for good. We’re working together as part of the “Join the Pack” campaign to change the way we look at and talk about this incredible species. We’ve invited the public to submit original artwork celebrating a more playful, whimsical side of wolves, and the submissions have already left us howling for more!

About this series

2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the reintroduction of gray wolves to the northern Rockies, and since that time wolves have been under nearly constant threat of losing their protections. The Weekly Howl provides insights and education about the gray wolf and updates on the status of its protections while celebrating the iconic species as a vital part of a functioning, healthy ecosystem. Posts will appear every Wednesday starting June 17 and running through the summer.

Don’t miss last week’s post: Americans Pretty Much Agree on One Thing: #VetoExtinction.”