Wolf Watching Around the World

Wolf watching is an unforgettable experience. Whether hearing their howls in the Polish forests or seeing the Ethiopian Wolf running in the Bale Mountains, wildlife enthusiasts will make memories to treasure forever. Though endangered and extinct in some habitats, there are Wolves to be found around the world. Four fantastic destinations for such tours are Poland, Sweden, Ethiopia and British Columbia.

Poland

The forests and river marshes of Poland are home to some other large mammal species extinct or rare in Western Europe, too, such as the Elk (Moose), Beaver and European Bison. Through the snowy winter landscape of the Biebrza Marshes and the great forests of Puszcza Borecka and Romincka, Wolf watching tours take wildlife enthusiasts in search of packs. There, they still hunt through the forests and open land as they did in the United Kingdom hundreds of years ago. The wild forests of Poland are a glimpse of Europe as it once was, with the howling of wolves able to send shivers down visitors’ spines as they journey among the trees.

Sweden

In the snow-covered hills and forests of Sweden, folklore of hill-folk and other unsettling creatures remains alive. There, in that still setting, Wolf watching offers a glimpse of one of the oldest creatures of Sweden’s hills. Under the guidance of a local expert, wildlife enthusiasts can don snow shoes or skis and go into territories to learn how to read the tracks and signs left by them and other mammals and birds — including Elk, Mountain Hare, Weasel, Pine Marten and the newly returned boar. Sightings of many mammals and birds are possible while passing quietly through the forest, as winter quietens it but does not put a stop to life.

Ethiopia

A dramatic contrast to the snowy forests of Poland and Sweden are the highlands of Ethiopia, where the rare Ethiopian Wolf roams. A tawny-coloured, fox-like animal, it is unique to the region. The highlight of a visit to Ethiopia is certainly seeing this elusive animal in the wild setting of the Bale Mountains. Other fascinating animal species can also be observed, such as the Mountain Nyala, Giant Molerat, Menelik’s Bushbuck, Beisa Oryx, Soemmering's Gazelle and Swayne's Hartebeest. An itinerary can take wildlife enthusiasts to Awash National Park, Ethiopia’s Rift Valley Lakes and Wondo Guenet Forest.

British Columbia

Across the Atlantic from Europe’s forests awaits the ‘Great Bear Rainforest’ of British Columbia, one of the world’s largest remaining areas of temperate rainforest. The best way to see the forest is by boat, following the watercourses through the great salmon migration when Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, Kermode Bears, Bald Eagles and Wolves come to the shores to feast. Wolf watching from the unique vantage of a boat is not to be missed, against the backdrop of towering moss-draped trees and dramatic fjords.

Marissa Ellis-Snow is a freelance nature writer. If you’re looking for Wolf watching tours, Naturetrek specialises in expert-led natural history and wildlife tours worldwide. Naturetrek brings over 25 years of experience to Jaguar watching tours in some of the most spectacular regions on Earth.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.