This beautiful book, written by naturalist, Elli Radinger, draws on twenty five years' observation of the Timber Wolves of Yellowstone National Park.

This was a vocation driven by a combined love of writing and a fascination for wolves. It started with a kiss from a six year old Timber Wolf in an American wolf sanctuary and led to an Ethology Internship at Wolf Park in Indiana which provided the foundation to become a Volunteer Assistant Biologist on the Yellowstone Wolf Project in the Lamar Valley to the north of Yellowstone National Park.

With atmospheric, grey-scale photography throughout, the 'Wisdom of Wolves' tells the story of a family of wolves through their relationships, leadership, social roles, age, relationships, moral code and skills which include a remarkable range of cognitive ability including forward planning, decision making, learning, training, role play, hunting, parenting and survival.

By spending such a long period of time observing her wolf family, Elli established a bond which she describes as being a loving relationship. Patiently learning about their way of life, family bonds, intelligence and personalities, Elli recognised the independent wolf - or she-wolf - in herself. This raised questions and answers about the meaning of life which Elli shares throughout the book, and which are wonderfully interwoven with stories about the wolf family and how they consistently demonstrate exceptional 'wolf values', intelligent survival strategies, a family-taught and respected moral code, and altruistic behaviours.

Most interesting is the comparison of the wolves behaviour to that of human beings. One is how play and affectionate interactions are used to nurture and protect each other, and to teach the young about boundaries, hidden dangers, companionship and other behaviours that benefit the pack and hold them in good stead to become healthy and independent members of a holistic family group.

'Young wolves learn by observing their parents and imitating them, they do whatever they want to with their parents sometimes setting boundaries as part of their education. Every young wolf can have their own experiences and learn what actions have consequences, and wolf pups, like human children, need parents to show them the way.'

Wolves create dynamic, altruistic teams with a clear strategy, objectives, boundaries, roles and rules that underpin their success stories. They demonstrate quality values when it comes to working together, communicating with each other, and looking after their own. Just like us, Elli says: 'Wolves grieve. When a family member dies they go searching and are unsettled, sometimes aggressive, they howl dolefully for a long time. But eventually they pull themselves together, get up and get on with things. They follow the rhythm of life: they hunt, eat, reproduce and look after their families. They do what all living creatures do in nature: they celebrate the here and now.'

Elli goes on to say: 'Wolves are therefore similar to us in many respects. Like them, we are living creatures with a personality, a soul, intelligence and emotions. They move perfectly in a world that is older and more mature than ours, they have sensory functions that we lost long ago or never developed, and can trust in voices that we never hear. And yet they are entangled with us, fellow creatures on this wonderful earth of ours.'

Above all, wolves teach us to show affection to those we love, to celebrate life in every moment, to never give up and never stop playing.

A beautiful book full of the wisdom of wolves in the exceptional words of a naturalist who dedicated her life to understanding all about them.

Sue Cartwright

Spiral Leaf

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The Wisdom of Wolves by Elli H Radinger