Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center

Romeo the Mendehall Glacier Black Wolf

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In April, 2003 a female black wolf was struck and killed by a car within one-quarter mile of the US Forest Service’s Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in Juneau, Alaska. The wolf was pregnant with four pups. In November of that year a solitary wolf’s howl could be heard frequently on the opposite side of the lake from the visitor center. Within a few weeks, local cross-country skiers were noticing a lone black wolf standing, and sometimes howling, at the edge of the forest. The wolf began showing a playful interest in the pet dogs that accompanied skiers on frozen, snow-covered Mendenhall Lake. The wolf, a close relative to domestic dogs, soon approached the dogs to engage in socialized behavior. The black wolf rarely made physical contact with the pets and generally did not seem to regard them as prey.

Wolves have strong family bonds. Some Juneau residents speculate that there may have been a familial relationship between the lone male wolf living near the glacier and the female wolf killed earlier that year. For some reason the male wolf did not join or establish a wolf pack of his own. Without a wild pack, the black wolf found occasional canine companionship with local dogs.

Although the wolf lives in the area year round he is most commonly seen in winter when the frozen snowy lake provides the ideal landscape for watching the large black wolf. With abundant hare and beaver populations in the vicinity, the wolf has an adequate supply of natural food.

As years passed, more sightings of the black wolf have been reported. Wildlife officials annually caution residents to leash their dogs and avoid contact with the wolf to prevent diseases from transferring between species. Feeding or attempting to touch the wolf is strictly forbidden. All contact is discouraged.

Juneau residents have nicknamed the lone black wolf Romeo. Two different sources of the name have emerged. One derives from the suspicion that the dead female wolf, now a taxidermied display inside the visitor center, was Romeo’s mate. Others suggest she could also have been his mother or aunt. Another reference for the name comes from a person whose large spayed female dog seemed to attract the male wolf’s curiosity. The dog provided companionship during the wolf’s first winter in Juneau.

In the ensuing five years, the wolf has become a popular living icon in Juneau. Glimpses of the wolf have thrilled locals and visitors alike. Ensuring the wild animal’s longevity is a key goal of most people who observe him. The wolf has killed and likely eaten at least one small dog so caution is strongly advised.

A subspecies of gray wolf known as the Alexander Archipelago wolf inhabits the dense temperate rainforest of Southeast Alaska. Pelt colors range from black, gray, and tan to white.

To learn more about Alaska’s wolves, go to the online Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Wildlife Notebook series at the State of Alaska’s web page at http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/furbear/wolf.php

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