A European wolf, alive and well.
Marielle van Uitert: It felt like my luck was running out, and that it was time to quit photographing war. I was reporting on the war on drugs in Mexico and found myself on the front page of a newspaper – the last thing you want to happen to you there. I hid in a hotel room for three days and started wondering what to do next with my life.When I got back the Netherlands in 2018, I spent a year walking dogs to clear my head, and I became fascinated by them. Especially the bigger breeds, the ones people automatically assume are scary, it was beautiful when I gained their trust. Being into dogs led me to wolves. I’d heard that, with help from local foresters, I had a good chance of spotting one on the border between Germany and Czechia, which I did.Now I think about it, I actually saw my first wolf in Yosemite Natural Park. It suddenly appeared from the mountains and crossed the road just in front of my camper van.And what’s kept you interested in them?
There’s a lot to learn about wolves and what’s beautiful about them is the variety. I can travel the world and talk to people who are interested in wolves. For instance, I went to Ethiopia and was escorted into the mountains by a group of British biologists. There’s only 450 or so Ethiopian wolves left, so they’re at the brink of extinction due to rabies, among other things.
I begin by doing a lot of research into the kind of wolf I want to photograph. That means getting in touch with the right kind of people, like foresters, biologists and land-owners. Once that is done, it’s about planning and placing camera traps and sometimes sitting in a hide for days on end.You’ve also taken photos of wolves who’ve been hit by cars. What did you learn from seeing those cadavers?
Wolves are still impressive even when they’re lifeless on an autopsy table. You’ve got that massive skull, and those paws with all the hair between each digit – those hairs actually mean you don’t hear them approach you in the wild. Wolves are like ghosts, in that way. I sometimes spent weeks in the forest without seeing a single one. They’re also incredibly strong, so strong that they’d survive with just three legs if necessary. They take care of each other in their packs, too. To me, that is beautiful. The more time you spend around them, the more respect you have for them.Check out more of Marielle van Uitert’s photos below.
Hugh Jansman, wildlife ecologist with Wageningen Environmental Research, examines the ear of a wolf that was hit by a car.
After x-rays have been taken, the dead wolf is brought to the Dutch Wildlife Health Centre (DWHC)
Hugh Jansman during the autopsy on a dead wolf at DWHC. The wolf is spread open to prepare for the autopsy.
The autopsy is nearly finished. The skull still has to be cleaned.
Taxidermist Bas Perdijk inspects the state of the wolf’s coat at Naturalis Biodiversity Center.
Perdijk blow dries the wolf’s coat at Naturalis Biodiversity Center.
Perdijk creates an imprint of the wolf’s paw in his work space.
The taxidermied wolf on display at Naturalis Biodiversity Center.
