We hope this finds you warm, comfortable, and if not in the throes of passion, at least feeling good about Valentine's Day sneaking up again. Whether you consider it a Hallmark holiday manufactured to sell silly things to sentimental fools or a golden opportunity to share your love, or something in between, we wish you a happy one. If you're not sure where to direct all your love and affection, let us just mention that Sam (or any of the animals here at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center) would make a terrific Valentine!

We told you in the last issue about three blokes (yes, the British guys) who visited 50 states in 30 days, courtesy of American Airlines. The link to their blog, as promised, is here, and while it opens slowly, it is worth a look. Trent and other GWDC staff had a great time showing them around and answering questions here at the Center. Once again, we are proud to be a part of all sorts of travel plans, including yours. Give us a call or an email if we can help you plan a trip to or through West Yellowstone or if you're interested in knowing more about what we do. You don't even have to put us in your blog!

The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone Montana has a handful of openings we're excited to tell you about for the summer. In addition to the full-time, year-round Chief Financial and Administrative Officer position we advertised in the last issue of the email newsletter, we are also looking for the following:

-Seasonal Retail/Admissions Staff, several openings both full-time and part-time. MAIN duties: sell merchandise and admission tickets, welcome visitors and respond to their needs, keep working area clean and organized. This position starts April and May and lasts until May or September.

-Seasonal Naturalist, only one opening full-time. MAIN duties: Cover habitats; educate visitors on bears, wolves, and birds-of-pray; interact with and answer questions from visitors; present theater and habitat programs, outreach and tours. This position starts in May and ends in September.

For more information or to apply, or to send a friend in our direction, click here. We'd love to find the right people to join our crew in the coming weeks.

 

 Read more about the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center...

As you can see, the wolves aren't even a little disturbed by weather reports or calendar holidays. Every day is Valentine's Day at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center.

The bears are also doing well. They continue to play, forage, and exhibit natural behaviors throughout the winter months. Keep an eye on our webcams and our Facebook page for current information about all the animals here at the Center.

 

Every issue of our email newsletter will have updates on our animals, and we will still be sending quarterly newsletters through the mail. We know it's not the people who draw you to the GWDC, as delightful as we are, so we'll keep you posted on the reason we're all here: the bears, wolves, and birds. Remember to check out our webcams when you're sitting at your desk or your kitchen table. It'll make you feel a little bit closer.

 
As usual, there is plenty going on in the Education Department. The Winter Speaker Series will kick off February 23rd at 7:00 p.m. with a presentation by Yellowstone National Park Ranger Molly Moore, a knowledgeable and entertaining expert on Greater Yellowstone. This 45-minute program, held at the Visitor's Center and co-sponsored by the GWDC, will explore the cultural history that has occurred over a century on the road from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful, providing a historical perspective on what appears to be a natural landscape.

Another exciting educational opportunity is coming up April 12th - 15th, 2013, also at the Visitor's Center. The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, in partnership with the National Association for Interpretation, is offering the Certified Interpretive Guide program, a course designed for anyone who delivers interpretive programs to the public. Anyone age 16 or over with a desire to increase their knowledge and skills related to interpretation may participate. Membership in NAI is not required, but NAI members pay a discounted fee to participate in the program. You can also elect to take the training without becoming certified. For more information or to register, please contact Trent Redfield or AJ Chlebnik at education@grizzlydiscoveryctr.com or 406-646-7001.

If you're interested in visiting the GWDC with your family or with your students, or if you'd like to sponsor a Teaching Trunk or outreach program, let us know. One of the Center's naturalists can visit your school for special assemblies, programs or activities. As you know, some of our birds-of-prey can travel for such programs as can our large collection of wolf and bear artifacts. We will customize the program or the Teaching Trunk for your group and areas of special interest.

 

Learn more about the GWDC Education programs... 

Developments

Thanks again for all you do. We look forward to hearing from you soon! 

 

 

We are honored to have many artists and photographers visit and support the GWDC. Their vision and talents inspire and enliven our work here, so we thought it would be nice to feature some of their work in every issue of our newsletter. If you'd like to see your artwork here, send us an image! Paintings, sculptures, and mixed media are welcome too.

Our thanks to Jim Harrison, Deidre Lantz, and Bruce Funk for this week's photographs.

Follow us and see more great photos on Facebook... 

We hope you enjoyed this issue, learned a little something, and felt like you were here with us for just a few minutes. It's a pretty special place to be. We hope your Valentine's Day, whether you believe in it or not, is full of love. Have a great couple of weeks, and make plans to come see us soon. 

 

The GWDC Staff