A howling new chapter for South Salem's Wolf Conservation Center

Breaking ground for the Wolf Conservation Center's new campus took place on Oct. 2.

Photos courtesy of WCC

Sen. Pete Harckham speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony.

Photos courtesy of WCC

WCC board president Martha Hunt Handler

Photos courtesy of WCC

WCC CEO Leila Howland Wetmore

Photos courtesy of WCC

Lewisboro Supervisor Tony Gonçalves and WCC Board President Martha Hunt Handler with the building permit for the "Den of Our Own'' project.

Photos courtesy of WCC

A bird's-eye view of the WCC's planned welcome center.

Photos courtesy of WCC

New camping dens will allow visitors to stay overnight.

Photos courtesy of WCC

The Wolf Conservation Center's new education facility will provide a year-round space for lectures, interactive exhibits, and a multimedia classroom.

Photos courtesy of WCC

An outdoor amphitheater will be a natural gathering space.

Photos courtesy of WCC

With shovels in hand are, left to right, Phoebe Marwill of Sen. Chuck Schumer's staff, County Legislator Erika L. Pierce, WCC Board President Martha Hunt Handler, and state Sen. Pete Harckham.

Photo courtesy of Deborah K. O'Brien

Posted Tuesday, October 13, 2026 10:39 am

Why Wolves Matter

Trophic Cascades: As a keystone species, wolves regulate the numbers and movement of large herbivores. Without them, animals like elk and deer overgraze streamside vegetation.
Habitat Regeneration: When wolves keep herbivores moving, plants such as willow, aspen, and cottonwood trees recover. This regrowth stabilizes riverbanks, cools water for fish, and provides habitats for beavers and birds.
Supporting Scavengers: Wolf kills leave behind carcasses that feed other wildlife, including eagles, ravens, and bears.
Disease Control: By preying on the weakest or sickest members of herds, wolves help limit the spread of diseases.
Controlling Smaller Predators ("Mesopredators"): Healthy wolf populations naturally keep coyote numbers in check, which allows smaller animals like foxes, badgers, and ground-nesting birds to thrive.

Sources: Wolf Conservation Center, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Earth.org, California Wolf Center, Mother Jones and Living with Wolves.

By Carol Reif

Staff Writer

SOUTH SALEM, N.Y. - A local organization dedicated to advancing the survival of a certain keystone species is finally going to have a bigger pawprint on the planet.

The Wolf Conservation Center officially broke ground on its ambitious overhaul of its 32-acre wilderness campus in South Salem on Friday, Oct. 2.

Visitors to the unique northern Westchester facility already get to — if not dance with — encounter wolves face to face, and thanks to its “Den of Our Own” project, they will get to do so much more in the future.

The WCC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that already boasts of its extraordinary reach and impact, said it’s been preparing for the expansion for more than a decade. It purchased adjacent properties, acquired building permits, and raised funds.

Construction is expected to take about 14 months to complete, with the transformed campus reopening set for January 2028.

While the project is underway, the sanctuary will maintain its mission through virtual and offsite educational programs.

Dig-nitaries joining the groundbreaking ceremony included Lewisboro Supervisor Tony Gonçalves, state Sen. Peter Harckham, County Legislator Erika L. Pierce, and a representative of U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer.

Once up and running, the new center will serve “as a hub of education, innovation and inspiration for wolf advocates around the world,” WCC folks said.

It currently is home to three gray wolves who serve as ambassadors in its education programs, 12 endangered Mexican gray wolves and 17 critically endangered red wolves.

THE PROJECT

Key components of the project are:

New Education Facility: A year-round space for lectures, interactive exhibits, and a multimedia classroom, along with a welcome center and gift shop.
Outdoor Amphitheater: A natural gathering space for presentations, lectures, and programming.
Enhanced Ambassador Wolf Enclosure: An integrated habitat designed to promote the health and well-being of the center’s ambassador wolves while creating new opportunities for visitors to connect with them.
New Animal Care Building: A climate-controlled facility with secure food storage and preparation areas to support the center’s innovative whole-carcass diet and the daily care of the wolves.
Site Enhancements: ADA-accessible pathways, enhanced wolf habitats, visitor rest areas, and improved roads and parking.
Camping Dens: Overnight accommodations that will allow guests to extend their experience at the center and fall asleep to the sound of wolves howling beneath the stars year-round.

“For 27 years, the Wolf Conservation Center has worked tirelessly to dispel the misinformation about wolves for centuries, so that we can move from a place of fear and misunderstanding to knowledge, respect, and coexistence,” said WCC’s CEO, Leila Howland Wetmore, noting that “education is the most powerful tool we have to build a better future.”

WHY WOLVES?

The majestic creatures, noted for their piercing looks and melancholy howls, inspired both admiration and controversy.

However, as a top predator, they are considered to be essential to maintaining the health of ecosystems around the world.

Their champions’ stand is that wolves are under threat, and if they go, humans may not survive either.

“Wolves are one of America’s most iconic and important animals. And yet, they have continually been vilified and misunderstood. Even with science and statistics justifying their importance, they continue to be hunted, both legally and illegally, poached, poisoned, and trapped,” the WCC’s website states.

“If wolves are driven to extinction, we lose more than an American symbol, we lose a keystone species who plays a critical role in creating and maintaining the healthy, balanced ecosystems, which support us all.”

LEADERS OF THE PACK

According to WCC, funding for the “Den of Our Own” capital campaign came through a combination of private philanthropy and public investment, including grants from New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation’s Zoos, Botanical Gardens and Aquaria (ZBGA) Capital Grant Program; Empire State Development’s Market New York program; the state’s Environmental Protection Fund; and the office of state Sen. Pete Harckham (D-South Salem).

“As it continues to grow and excel in its outreach, the Wolf Conservation Center will be better positioned to execute its mission of saving wolves from extinction,” Harckham said.

HOW(L) TO HELP

To learn more about the campus transformation and how to help support the project, visit: https://nywolf.org/save-the-wolves/den-of-our-own/