SOPHIE TROLLOPE

1. Qualified primary School Teacher.
2. Worked as an Administrative Clerk and then Private Secretary in private companies for many years.

Sophie Meets Orca

3. Voluntary worker in an Old Age Home, Children’s Orphanage and with animals in many areas of Pretoria, Province of Gauteng, South Africa.
4. Housewife - raised our beautiful daughter Elizabeth who qualified as a Veterinary Surgeon.
5. Elizabeth, also an animal lover from a very young age, made it possible and easier in many ways for me to extend my love for animals into various animal and related fields, e.g. nutrition, the environment, together with the habitats of various species of wild animals. I never envisaged that the vast field of dog and cat behaviour was just there to be discovered by me. The domestic pets or modern phrase, COMPANION ANIMALS, ultimately led me to the WOLVES!
6. Wolf behaviour study followed and has been continuing during the past 10 years and proved to be even more exciting than the wonderful domestic animal studies.
7. Sophie meets Orca. The most exciting and fascinating achievement allocated to me was to have been the FIRST WOMAN FROM SOUTH AFRICA to visit WOLF PARK, in Indiana, USA, as well as the successful completion of the final 1998 WOLF BEHAVIOUR SEMINAR. The experience of touching real wolves in WOLF PARK cannot be compared to any other experience – it’s unique! You are on their turf and they approach you, not the other way around.
8. The highly motivated and dedicated Dr Erich Klinghammer is the Director, and together with his loyal personnel is unstoppable in their endeavours to secure the rightful place and appreciation for the wolf – Canis lupus, who has been driven (by man) to the brink of extinction, through unnecessary shooting and poisoning over many years.
9. One of my proudest possessions is the CERTIFICATE (with a wolf photo as well) received on completion of the WOLF BEHAVIOUR COURSE, which I attended from October 4 – 8, 1998, at Wolf Park. WOLF PARK offers the Adopt-a-Wolf program, and if you adopt a wolf for one year, you receive a different certificate with a photo of the “adopted” wolf. It is a great opportunity to get to know “your” wolf. You will also receive the quarterly newsletter and hair from the adopted wolf, which is shed from winter to summer, plus discount on purchases from the souvenir shop.
10. You will notice, dear friends, that I take an active role in animal matters, but more active than usual where wolves are concerned. To prove my point, my letter to The Alaska Wildlife Alliance is appropriate here. It is another great reminder to all of us that there are people in leading positions who listen when the public speaks on behalf of those that cannot. After my letter to Alaska and the complaints of other concerned persons about the killings of the Toklat wolves in Denali National Park - a first ever in Alaskan history - victory was achieved over the Alaska Board of Game. All our comments and letters made a difference, so much so that the Alaska Board of Game approved an approximately 100 square mile NO HUNTING and NO TRAPPIING ZONE in and outside the north-eastern corner of Denali National Park. The Toklat wolves have been protected since May 21, 2001, and may now live without fear in this area. For more info on the pack go to www.akwildlife.org.
11. Another proud achievement is the certificate I received from the UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA on completion of the FIRST EVER – ONE–YEAR CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR, compiled and presented by Professor Johannes Odendaal, during November 1998 (http://www.ethology.co.za) This course focused on cat and dog behaviour. The latest additions to the correspondence course are BASIC ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR COURSES FOR HORSES, DOGS and an ANIMAL ASSISTED ACTIVITY COURSE.
12. My love for dogs resulted in VOLUNTARY VISITS TO SO-CALLED “PROBLEM” DOGS. Owners contact me with a specific behavioural problem, and many times it necessitates a visit to the home of the dog. On most occasions, the problems are solved, much to the relief of the owner who unknowingly, through his lack of understanding of his dog, often contributed to the problem. In severe behavioural problems, help from The Life Sciences Research Institute at Technikon Pretoria (now Tshwane University of Technologies) is requested, and in the end another happy dog and owner understand each other better. http://www.ethology.co.za
13. Another important milestone for specialist dogs and horses came into being when THE SERVICE ANIMALS MONITORING UNIT (S.A.M.U.) was established in February 1999, by James Tindale and myself. The main aim is to watch over the wellbeing of dogs and horses used in regular service. Guard dogs on patrol have been abused in the past by having to do duty without any water or food for long hours. Horses had to work extended hours on patrol with no water, inadequate shoeing, being dehydrated, and in many instances, received no regular health maintenance, e.g. deworming and vaccinations. We aim to educate and “LIGHTEN THEIR LOAD”…
14. S.A.M.U. reacted within record time after the shocking events of September 11th, 2001. Search and Rescue Dogs are a top priority of what S.A.M.U. advocates, namely the wellbeing of dogs in service. The decision was unanimous by S.A.M.U. to raise funds immediately from the South African public, to supply as many pairs of specially designed dog boots (by James Tindale and Captain Flip Olivier) for the heroic dogs on duty at the World Trade Center in New York City. S.A.M.U. eventually supplied 120 pairs of boots (4 boots per dog) and sent them by special flight arrangements to New York. South Africans are ardent animal caring people, and because of their sincere, enthusiastic support the dog booties were on their way to New York at breakneck speed.
15. My Wolf Survey 2001 South Africa, Phase I, was completed in May 2002, and it became vital to conduct Phase II which commenced in March 2004. The aim of this survey is to determine a more correct number of wolves and information on the variety of wolf species and subspecies living in South Africa. This activity brought me in contact with a South African couple who love and treasure wolves like I do. They then took my idea of founding a wolf organization in South Africa, and put it into action. At the beginning of October 2004 we “gave birth” to the South African Friends of Wolves (SAFOW), an organization with the mission to inform and educate the South African public about wolves and wolf dogs in general, and captive wolves as well as wolf/dog crossbreeds in South Africa in particular. For more information about SAFOW go to http://www.safow.org or enquire by email to info@safow.org.

    Contact me for more information on the above mentioned matters, and how I met Orca, the very special real wolf.

16. Wolf Park can be reached at their website www.wolfpark.org
17. Wolf Park email contacts: Mr. Monty Sloan, Photographer par excellence at: wolfpark@aol.com.

Please contact me for any information regarding the above-mentioned issues, or about my experiences with Orca, the really special wolf.

I hope to hear from you wherever you live, and I encourage any interesting exchange of information. All enquiries are highly appreciated.

SOPHIE TROLLOPE
FOR THE WOLVES OF THE WORLD
AND ORCA, AN EXCEPTIONAL WOLF LIVING
AT WOLF PARK, INDIANA, USA