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Endangered Preda-Tour

While many people have been programmed since Red Riding Hood to think of wolves only as predators and all predators as villains, this is far from true in the animal world. Predator and prey both play an important, interrelated role in the health, stability and sustainability of an ecosystem. Remove the top dog from any food chain—whether it's lions on the Serengeti or wolves in Yellowstone, hunted to extinction in the 1930's—and entire ecosystems begin to collapse.

That's because Mother Nature relies on a sense of order, and the five species of predators in our care shoulder the responsibility of taking orders for entire food chains below them, down to the very habitats they call home.

Visit the Mexican gray wolves, red wolves, maned wolves, swift foxes and African painted dogs at our center and learn why each are endangered in the wild, and how you can help ensure their survival from anywhere in the world you call home.

These 90-minute tours are offered at 9:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and at 1 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Call 636-938-5900 to make reservations.

Make the most of your visit by adding one of these up-close tours:
• Add an Enrichment Experience
• Add an Animal Trainer Insider Tour

Enrichment Experience

Tossing a tennis ball with your family dog does more than build a bond. As members of the canid family, a domestic dog's intelligence stays sharp and his senses alert through stimulation, problem-solving, walks filled with scents to explore and, of course, the universal language of play.

The Enrichment Experience here at the Endangered Wolf Center gives visitors the rare opportunity to help provide the animals in our care with a similar kind of exercise and stimulation.

Working alongside our animal care team, participants help toss bones, ice blocks packed with rewards inside and various scented objects into the habitats of our wolves, swift foxes and African painted dogs for them to investigate and explore, encouraging these natural behaviors. Since they don't have miles of territory to hunt and patrol like they would in the wild, such enrichment opportunities are an important part of their care and well-being.

This 30-minute experience is offered at 3 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Animal Trainer Insider Tour

Most animal lovers weren't fortunate enough to meet that rare guidance counselor in high school who had ever heard of the term "animal trainer" or there'd be a lot fewer of us working desk jobs.

Yet it takes much more than a passion for wildlife to bridge the language barrier between our species. A good animal trainer has the patience to connect through the languages that are universal to all members of the animal kingdom, including ourselves. Languages like play, trust, companionship and love.

This type of communication forms the foundation for the encouragement-based training philosophy we use here at the Endangered Wolf Center. Training is important because it helps make it possible for our animal care staff and veterinarians to do their jobs more safely and easily through the willing participation of the animals. Training is also part of our animals' enrichment program, since it allows them to be stimulated and positively rewarded for their cooperation.

Join us for an inside look at how our animal care staff helps train some of our animal family during this insightful tour.

This 30-minute training experience is offered at 11:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Private Life of Predators

Look beyond the piercing eyes of the mysterious Mexican gray wolf and red wolf, and what you see may surprise you—an animal who is naturally shy around humans, while in their private lives are loyal, intelligent and highly family-oriented, with social bonds so strong that they often mourn the passing of pack members for days with their howls.

Both feared and revered throughout history, the fact is that wolves play a vital, irreplaceable role in the balance and sustainability of the ecosystems where they naturally belong.

On this tour, we'll share insights into the world of wolves most people don't see. We'll also share an inside look at three additional endangered species in our care: African painted dogs, maned wolves, and our smallest predator, the swift fox—at just five pounds, they are small but mighty.

Call 636-938-5900 to arrange one of these private tours that are available on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Make the most of your visit by adding one of these up-close tours:
• Add an Enrichment Experience
• Add an Animal Trainer Insider Tour

VIP Animal Interaction Tour

This tour is consistently a favorite among many of our guests because it offers such a rare opportunity to come behind the scenes here at our center. As a VIP guest, you'll get to meet some of the amazing animals in our care, including some of our own resident VIPs—very important predators, of course, a role that is crucial to the health and stability of the entire ecosystems that depend on them.

Caring for an endangered animal—especially one who may be a candidate for release one day—requires a special understanding of the species. You'll hear how our Mexican gray wolves and red wolves are making history in adding to the wild populations and learn about some of our most important animals in the recovery of the species, like Anna, a spectacular Mexican gray wolf.

You'll also get to meet some of our animal ambassadors, like Tsavo, the African painted dog and his two brothers, and Freesia and Nina our maned wolves. We'll also pay a visit to our smallest species, the swift fox.

Top off your tour by learning what types of enrichment are given to our animal family, and then enjoy the rare opportunity to take part in an African painted dog or maned wolf training session. This tour also makes a wonderful gift for a very important person in your life.

Call 636-938-5900 to schedule this special tour.

Keeper for a Day

Includes an Endangered Wolf Center T-shirt, nametag and water bottle

Be a Keeper for a Day and you'll get a chance to work right alongside one of our expert animal keepers, shadowing them for the day and participating in some of the most important work done here at our center.

Our animal keepers have a passion for wildlife—one they love to share. Experience your own connection to the amazing animals in our care as you gain a deeper understanding of their importance to the survival of the scarce populations of Mexican gray wolves and red wolves remaining in the wild.

During this amazing day, you'll get to take part in the care, feeding, training and enrichment of some of the world's most endangered animals. Don't be afraid to roll up your sleeves and get down and dirty during this exciting day. It may well turn out to be some of the most rewarding work of your life.

Call 636-938-5900 to schedule this special experience.

Wine and Cheese Twilight Howl

Do something special for your next date night, get-together or girls night out with our popular Wine and Cheese Twilight Howl. This adults-only evening begins at 7 p.m. with a welcome social featuring a selection of cheese and wine to help wet your whistle.

During the indoor portion of your tour, our animal care experts will share a lecture-style program on wolf communication and behavior and explain some of the most popular myths and misconceptions about wolves—including whether they really howl at a full moon!

Next the tour moves outdoors, where a light quarter mile walk brings you to an area near the wolf habitats for the highlight of the evening—the wolf howl! We'll show you how to initiate a wolf howl and see if the wolves answer back. Like all wild animals they can be a bit unpredictable and may not engage, but usually it doesn't take long to get the howling started.

After the Howl, enjoy coffee and dessert or browse the gift shop, while our animal experts are on hand to answer any questions.

This program is offered year-round (except for April and May) on the first Friday and third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. Advance reservations are required.

Important note: While you'll have a chance to connect with our wolves by hearing their howls during this special event, this tour does not include visiting the wolf habitats since it is an evening program.

Campfire Wolf Howl

This wildly popular all-ages event offers a howling good time for the whole family. Gather around a campfire for some entertaining and inspiring stories about the legends and lore of the mysterious wolf.

Afterward, your guide will lead you on a short walk to an area near the wolf habitats for the evening's highlight, our wolf howl! From here we'll all work together to see if our howls are enough to get the wolves to join in. Like us, they sometimes have nights where they're just not ready to let their howls loose, but usually they'll chime in—and when they do, there's nothing like it.

End the evening with hot chocolate and cookies along with an opportunity for you to ask questions of our animal experts and browse our gift shop.

This program is throughout the year, except for April and May, which is breeding season.  Please check our Event Calendar for dates. Advance reservations are required as this popular program often sells out and space is limited. Please call 636-938-5900 to reserve tickets.

Important note: While you'll have a chance to connect with our wolves by hearing their howls during this special event, this tour does not include visiting the wolf habitats since it is an evening program.

Private Event Opportunities

We offer private Wine and Cheese and Campfire Wolf Howls. These special events can be arranged for any private group. They are ideal for client or employee appreciation or a private birthday or anniversary celebration. The Wine and Cheese has a minimum of 20 people or a $440 booking fee is required ($22 per person above minimum). The Campfire Howl has a minimum of 35 or a booking fee of $525 ($15 for adults and $13 for children above minimum).  For more details please contact the Center.