When you watch your dog rambunctiously chase squirrels through your backyard, it’s hard to believe that they’re descendants of apex predators. Biology and evolution are powerful forces, and the same dog you dressed up as an Oompa Loompa for Halloween last year has the DNA of wild wolves. In Juneau, Alaska, 2003, Nick and Sherrie Jans learned these animals were more compatible than you’d think.
First Meeting
While walking their yellow lab, Dakota, in the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, they came across a young black wolf, who immediately started heading in their direction. Dakota broke from her harness and started beelining forwards the massive predator. Face to face a few feet apart, they looked at each other out curiously, each with no aggression in their body language. Dakota eventually trekked back to her owners and the three went on their way. A local skier reported a similarly playful encounter with the wolf and her dog days later.
The Jans’ began to seek out the wolf on their walks, and Nick, a renowned wildlife photographer, began documenting this anomaly of behavior. It was clear that the wolf loved his canine cousins, but especially took a liking to Dakota. According to Nick Jans, the wolf would pace, whine, and go absolutely ballistic with excitement to play with his Labrador buddy. From his loving nature, Sherrie Jans named the wolf, “Romeo” and the name stuck instantly.
Local Celebrity
Apparently, word spreads quickly about a friendly wolf. Visitors from out of town would venture to Juneau just to try to see Romeo for themselves. Crowds of people make lots of household dogs (and people) nervous, but Romeo remained poised and composed while people scrambled to see him in paparazzi-like fashion.
As friendly as he was, he didn’t exactly have a great sense of boundaries. He would often try to follow the Jans’ home to spend try to spend some more time with his furry pal. At the end of the day, Romeo was still a wild animal. The Jans would have to throw snow at Romeo when he got too close to their property.
Make no mistake, Romeo was making the most of all the attention. His accessibility and consistency made him every bit of a local celebrity.
“On a typical winter day, he’d be in position before the first light to meet the pre-work and early dog walking crowd, as if he’d punched a time clock; of course, he preferred his favorites, but in a pinch, others would do.”
-Nick Jans
Controversy
Romeo’s area had plenty of food, no other predatory threats, and plenty of wide-open space. He occupied his territory for five years. As beloved as he was by many, his presence was far from uncontroversial. Alaskans were in the midst of a dispute about potentially limiting the state’s wolf population. This meant plenty of folks were advocating for Romeo to be removed and placed elsewhere.
Tragically, Romeo was killed by hunters in September of 2009. His death caused a public outcry, and the two men responsible were arrested, placed on probation, and had their hunting and fishing licenses temporarily revoked, though many locals advocated for harsher punishments. A memorial service was held for Romeo in November 2010, where a plaque was unveiled in his honor.
Romeo’s story seems destined to be told on the big screen someday. Nick Jans went on to release Romeo’s story in his New York Times bestseller, A Wolf Called Romeo. But it also serves as a reminder that though these are wild animals, they share a considerable amount of DNA with our four-legged whippersnappers.
