12/31/2025
Wolf 813: Remembering the matriarch of the Echo Valley Pack
By Genevieve Adamski
Red Cliff Wildlife Specialist
Wolf 813 was the matriarch (alpha female) of the Echo Valley pack from 2014 to 2023. She was a study partner of multiple different agencies for nearly a decade. She was first collared in 2014 by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and she began sharing her story with us during a time of heated controversy over the state's wolf hunts.
Though her exact birth year is unknown, 813 was likely born in 2011 or 2012 as she was estimated to be 2 or 3 years old when she was first collared. She survived all 4 state-hosted wolf hunts, including the controversial 2021 hunt, which exceeded its quota by 82%. Wolf 813 not only survived, but she had more to teach us. Years later, she was recaptured and recollared by Giiwedingwangaabo (Ron Nordin Jr) with the Red Cliff Treaty Natural Resources Department (TNR).
She mothered at least 32 pups over her lifetime. TNR staff were lucky enough to handle 20 of those pups during spring den checks throughout the years. Her contributions to her pack, science, and the broader ecosystem were precious. She was gikinoo’amaagewikwe (a teacher), omaamaayan (a mother), ganawendang (a caretaker) of the ecosystem, miinawaa ogii-inawenimaan iniw anishinaaben endanakiiwaad Miskwaabikong (and she was family to the ones who live in Miskwaabikaang).
Her story came to an end when she was estimated to be around 12 years of age, which is well beyond the average life expectancy 6-8 years for a wild ma’iingan (wolf). She was shot on Christmas Day 2023 by an individual who claimed it was out of fear for his life.
Though 813 lived far beyond the average lifespan of a ma’iingan, her life ended in the same manner as many of her odinawemaaganan (relatives): She was killed by a human. In the state of Wisconsin, poaching is the cause of death for around 10% of the ma'iingan population each year.
The story of Wolf 813 is a testament to the resilience of ma’iinganag (wolves), but it is also a sobering reminder of the challenges they face. Ma’iinganag, like all carnivores, are often vilified for simply doing what they have evolved to do: hunt, survive, and maintain balance within their ecosystems. Yet, their existence is frequently met with fear, misunderstanding, and hostility.
In her book Wolfish, Erica Berry skillfully explores how humans project our attitudes onto wild relatives, stating, “To understand an animal exists neither to kill you nor cuddle you is to untangle your ego from its life—to see it as complex and wild, worthy of existence independent of your feelings about it.”
Wolves are not villains; they are vital players in the health of the land, controlling disease and starvation among prey species due to overpopulation. There have only been 2 reported wolf-caused human fatalies in North America since 2002. Statistically, humans are more likely to be killed by zagimekaa (mosquitoes) or even waawaashkeshi (deer) which caused 9 fatalities in Wisconsin in 2024 alone.
The legacy of Wolf 813 and the Echo Valley pack is a lesson and reminder for us to see ma’iinganag not as threats, but as icons of the wild, complex, essential, and deserving of a place in the world we share.
Read more in our weekly newsletter from December 22-28, 2025: https://conta.cc/4pQTYBG
