In the Valley of the Wolves Review

SPOILERS ALERT! TURN BACK NOW IF
YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED!

In the Valley of the Wolves was
on PBS November 4th.

In the Valley of the Wolves

This film by Bob Landis, is about
the Druid Pack in the Lamar Valley
in Yellowstone. A coveted prize
for the Wolf Pack who has it.

The film has great photography,
and quality.

It also should only be shown for
teens to adults since it has
scenes of violence, gore, and
animals mating.

The narration uses dialogue that
isn't stiff or stale like in most
documentaries. This will appeal
to more viewers since most documentaries
appeal solely to intellectuals.

In The Valley of the Wolves, doesn't
focus on Humans at all. It doesn't
have any interviews with any of
the wildlife agencies either. Good
thing too. Doug Smith has over the
years has been wrongly a poster boy
for Yellowstone and Druid Peak Wolves
on National Geographic Documentaries
and supports the destruction of Wolves
in livestock issues.

Supporter of Wolf Murder in Livestock Issues

Valley of the Wolves also doesn't focus
on Human Politics involving Wolves either.
It focuses on the animals instead.

One also must remember that the Wolves'
struggle isn't because one pack is evil
and the other is good and so on. Wolves
are Wolves and their behavior like all
denizens of Nature isn't a part of
Human morality or immorality for that
matter.

The Wolves in the film have collars on
them which you can see the level of
micromanaging Humans have done with Wolf
Populations.

The documentary briefly talks about the origin
of the Druid Pack and how long
their rule has been 8+ years.

Luckily it is available for
viewing on the PBS Website.

Druid Pack History

The film starts in the winter of 2004
where the Druid Pack inhabit the
Lamar Valley. The Alpha Male, callously
known as Number 21, has lived for 9 years
one of the longest living Wolves in Nature.
His mate is referred to as Number 42.

They ruled well, until both Alphas died.
Number 42 would be killed by rival packs,
and 41 would die as well.

Then the Druid Pack would be defeated by
a larger pack called the Slough Creek Pack.
They by that time would have outnumbered
the Druids by almost half and would force
the Druids into exile.

The film would take time out on several
occasions to focus on other animals that
weren't Wolves in the film. Like Coyotes,
Bears, Birds, Foxes, Eagles, Ravens, and other
creatures.

Although some say it could detract from
the film, it conveys how the Wolves' lifestyle
in the Lamar Valley affects everything else in it.
This is important since in Nature, everything
is vital and how one creature effects everything
around it in a cycle of Predator and Prey and
everything in-between.

Another Wolf Pack would be focused on in
Hayden where a 5 member pack would live
in the area of the plateau where Bison
live. The territory was hard for many
creatures to live, which is the Hayden
Pack's greatest advantage to survive:
adversity.

The Slough Creek Pack had two territories
and they didn't show mercy to trespassers.

As time went on the Slough Creek Pack would
eventually lose control over all their territory
since their pups would unfortunately be
infected with a virus. The host says that
it could have been Parvo or Canine Distempter.

Canine Parvo
Canine Distemper

The Slough Creek Pack would also set a setback
through a mysterious Wolf Pack that would
come in and control their den long enough so
that the pups wouldn't survive. The Slough
Creek were outnumbered and couldn't risk
a retake of the den. Oddly enough, the mysterious
pack would leave just as mysterious as they came.
No one would know why they came and left Lamar
Valley.

A Lone Wolf by the number of 302, whose name
is Casanova, would be the hope for a new
Druid Pack. He visited the Druids originally
to interact with the daughter of the original
female Alpha, much to the Alphas' consternation.

He would be accepted by the two female survivors
left of the Druids. Casanova and his brother
would serve as the catalyst for the new Druids.

He and his new Pack would live at first in
Eastern Lamar Valley in exile and would eventually
retake the Lamar Valley without a fight. This
is because the Slough Pack would retreat. For
now the Druids control Lamar Valley.

Thus in a great storytelling fashion, a tale
of a Wolf Pack's fall, and rise again is told.

This has to be one of the best Wolf Documentaries
in years. Great cinematography, narration, story,
and more.

When it comes out on DVD, we will let you know.

Rating 5/5

Mike Wagner -- Director and Founder of Heart of the
Wolf Organization, Kei the Wolf Memorial, Kurt the Wolf
Memorial, Honor Fallen and Oppressed Wolves
-- and Co-Host of KWF Wolf Conservation, WWeb of Life

http://www.heartofthewolf.org
http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/heartofthewolf
http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/Wolfconservationists
http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/weboflife
http://www.heartofthewolf.org/HFOW.htm
http://groups.myspace.com/HeartOfTheWolf
http://www.heartofthewolf.org/KeiTheWolfMemorial.htm
http://www.heartofthewolf.org/KurtTheWolfMemorial.htm