Shaun Ellis: A Man Among Wolves

Some people believe that Shaun Ellis is not quite right on the head. Others think he’s just eccentric and a show-off. And there are others who admire him and see his life as inspiring and poetic. They see his life as a true glorification of the instinctive friendship between people and those around them.

Shaun Ellis became a worldwide phenomenon after National Geographic released a documentary about his life among wolves. He is the only known adult who willingly live with wolves and become part of their community. For the wolves he is their alpha male.

Many scientists, particularly biologists, have questioned Mr. Ellis’ experience because he was not involved in any research. Put simply, he loves animals and wanted to become a part of their life to get to know them better.

There are known cases where children are raised by wolves and other species. Some were abandoned by their families and later added to the pack.

These examples are amazing and it is fascinating to see a human being accepted by the wolves and becoming a member of the pack. When we think of adult humans, however, only Shaun Ellis comes to mind. But how did this grown man manage to join a wolf pack?

A love for wolves

Shaun Ellis was born in England in 1964. From a young age he was fond of wolves. He began to study her himself, and the more he knew, the more interested he became in her. The first time he saw a wolf, it was while visiting the zoo. He says it was love at first sight.

Ellis lived his life as usual, but was still interested in wolves. He joined the British armed forces. Whenever he could, he went into the forest at night to take in wolves. Just looking at her was enough for him.

Shaun then married Ellis and had five children. However, he spent more time studying wolves than he did with his family. At first, his wife didn’t think his love for wolves was a problem, but over time she got angry. Because of this, she left Ellis and took their children with her.

The amazing journey of Shaun Ellis

Shaun Ellis signed up to do center volunteer work with captive wolves, but that wasn’t enough. He couldn’t satisfy his need to get closer to them. He believed that the best way to get to know them was to get closer to them in their natural habitat. Then he decided to go to the Nez Perce National Historical Park in Idaho.

There he lived with the local tribesmen and learned everything they knew about the wolves. Little by little he too approached the animals. He wanted to be accepted as one of them. However, this was not an easy endeavor and it took eight months. One day the wolves nibbled gently on his knee. He knew it was a welcoming gesture and his genuine enthusiasm knew no bounds.

Despite all the odds, Shaun Ellis started living with wolves and they eventually accepted him as one of them. He ate the same raw meat that they ate. It sometimes happened that the animals urinated on it before letting it eat it. Understandably, there was some misunderstanding and punches and bites. According to Ellis, he learned their howling signals. He lived with the pack for 18 months.

The return to his old life and the beginning of a new chapter

It wasn’t easy for Ellis to return to the human world. Seven months passed before he was comfortable with his own species again. He later published a book on the language of wolves and afterwards, when he returned to Combe Martin Park, England, he unexpectedly adopted three young orphaned wolves.

How do you raise three wolf cubs? Ellis used everything he had learned about his time with the wolves. He didn’t want to domesticate them, but rather teach them how to live in the wild.

The boys spent a year and a half under Ellis’s care. During this time he taught them to howl and fed them with his own mouth. He later taught them to hunt as he had learned to do. He also taught them about discipline and hierarchies.

The three boys viewed him as an alpha male. When he believed the boys were ready, Ellis released them into the wild to live among their own kind. Even if he has left the pack, he has not forgotten the wolves. When National Geographic finally heard of Shaun Ellis, they made a documentary about him.

Several biologists around the world have expressed discomfort with Shaun Ellis’ techniques. After watching the documentary about his life, they called him a sensation addict.

Anyway, there is no doubt that Shaun Ellis is a controversial character and many people have been amazed by his story. No one can deny how hard Ellis worked to really get to know the animals he loves most.