I am remembered as… quiet, sweet, calm. A great matriarch and true alpha to my pack. I was a devoted mate and mother with a beautiful voice, one I passed on to my beloved Anna.
I am Tanamara.
Tanamara, whose name means “lonely wind,” was a very special Mexican gray wolf from the McBride lineage, the last five wolves recovered in 1980 when the species was declared extinct in the wild.
In the fall of 2000, Tanamara was placed with Santa Ana, a valuable descendant of the Ghost Ranch lineage who was almost 13 years old and had never bred, despite being paired with suitable mates. Due to his age and her lack of mothering experience, the combination was meant more for companionship.
Miraculously, Tanamara’s encouragement pushed an aged, arthritic male to breed for the first time. The sole surviving offspring, Anna, has become one of the most significant contributors to the recovery of the species.
Tanamara was eventually paired with Picaron, her true lifelong companion, whose deep, baritone howl stood out from the moment he arrived. Their chemistry was instant, and over their years together, the couple substantially contributed to the survival of their species, delivering three litters of pups.
A strong matriarch and true alpha who helped keep harmony in her pack, Tanamara was fun to watch. She could give Picaron “the look,” and he would do whatever she wanted – which was usually to pounce at the keepers as they went by as an act of protecting his pack, or to discipline one of the pups, who also knew the meaning of her looks.
In 2009, Tanamara passed away. When she died, Picaron howled for so long and so often that he permanently damaged his vocal cords. His life, and his magnificent howl, were never the same without her.
Tanamara is a wonderful wolf to adopt in honor of a wife, daughter, mother or grandmother, whether they are with us still or watching over us in spirit, their memories and stories still very much alive today.