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Wolf rescuer seeks wildlife sanctuary
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Marc DeBolt of Newton Falls shares a tender moment with Shadow his Arctic Wolf in the backyard of his Newton Falls home.
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Marc DeBolt of Newton Falls pets Rambo - a Timberwolf he cares for at his Newton Falls House - he hopes to make a wolf sanctuary someday.
By Jordan Cohen
‘I want to save the wolves,’ the township man says.
NEWTON FALLS — For Marc DeBolt, the wolf is always at the door — three wolves to be exact.
The Newton Township resident, who said he has spent years rescuing North American gray timber wolves, cares for the three in the yard next to his small home.
Two of them, Rambo and Bonnie, are housed in a large cage. The third, Shadow, is attached to an exercise runner. DeBolt, 47, said he rescued all three from abuse by people who did not understand that wolves were never meant to be house pets.
“Shadow’s previous owner beat the wolf instinct out of her,” DeBolt said. “Now all she wants is care and love, and that’s what I give her.” DeBolt approached the surprisingly playful Shadow, and the wolf responded to petting much like a large friendly dog would, but Shadow, Rambo and Bonnie are clearly not dogs.
“I would not recommend an average person acquire a wolf because you’re getting into something you don’t understand,” DeBolt said. “They don’t realize that wolves are highly efficient killing machines, even though they only kill to survive or feed their families.
“People have to realize that there are still wolves out there running free because their owners couldn’t control them and let them loose.
That is one of the reasons why DeBolt, who has an Ohio license to operate a charitable trust, Wolf Run Wildlife Preservation Inc., wants to create a wildlife sanctuary for wolves.
He said he has had discussions with an individual he declined to identify about purchasing 350 acres in southeast Portage County.
“I’m looking at a preservation housing 20 wolves in an enclosed area that would draw tourists,” DeBolt said. “In five years, I think we could have 65 people working there for maintenance, security and as guides. I also would like to start a veterinary school there.”
The problem is money. He estimates the cost of land and enclosures at $7.5 million along with $250,000 operating expenses the first year. That is out of reach for DeBolt, who said he has only disability income since suffering a stroke and heart attack in 1996. He has asked local state legislators and the Ohio Department of Development for help without success.
One reason may be that there is “no viable population of wolves in Ohio,” said Janey Graham, spokeswoman for the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
“They are not a self-sustaining and breeding population in the state,” Graham said, “and that means they aren’t protected like bobcats or black bears.
“It’s up to biologists to make that determination and so far the wolves haven’t met the [criteria].”
For that reason, according to Graham, the state does not consider them an endangered species.
Another reason is that state officials remain unconvinced of the validity of DeBolt’s business plan.
“Job creation is always a major concern and we don’t feel there is enough documentation to support his view,” said Bob Grevey, public information officer, Ohio Department of Development.
“It’s not a viable undertaking because his proposals and materials do not meet our threshold in a number of areas, and that includes job creation,” Grevey said.
“The state is not looking at benefits to the environment and the economy,” DeBolt responded. “When wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park, they improved the biodiversity of the area, and they can do that here.”
DeBolt says he has spent nearly all of his adult life around wolves and feels the need to protect them. He is especially incensed over media reports of Gov. Sarah Palin, Republican vice presidential nominee, supporting an Alaskan law permitting the shooting of wolves from a helicopter.
“Why should the wolves die that way?” he asked. “Where is the sport in that? If she wants a sport, she should face the wolves one on one like I do.”
Facing them hasn’t always gone well as DeBolt said he has been bitten on several occasions. Yet he remains determined to educate a public that he believes misunderstands the wolves he knows and loves.
“Yes, they can be the ‘big bad wolf’ and very dangerous animals, but they have a family bond and it is very precious,” he said.
“There is no loyalty like the wolf family.”