Zoo Exhibit Offers Free Admission to People Named 'Wolf'

By Jules Zucker

June 5, 2015

gray wolf

Photo by iStock/hkuchera

If your name is Wolfe, Wolfson, or any other derivative of the word ‘wolf’, the Detroit Zoo wants to welcome you to the pack.

Today, anyone who brings photo ID confirming that part of their name contains the word ‘wolf’ or a variation thereof will gain free admission to the zoo on that day.

What provoked this lupine luxury? Today marks the grand opening of the Cotton Family Wolf Wilderness, a new exhibit featuring two gray wolves.

“There are a lot of people who are named ‘Wolf’ or wolf with an E, people whose first name is Wolf’,” Detroit Zoological Society communications director Patricia Mills Janeway told Sierra. “We just thought it would be a fun thing to invite people whose names have ‘wolf’ in it to have a free day at the zoo in celebration of the opening.”

The exhibit is naturalistic, meaning it will try to resemble the wolves’ original habitat as closely as possible. Two acres of hills and meadows will allow the wolves plenty of space to roam among dens, trees, and elevated rock croppings, giving zoo-goers a realistic glimpse at how gray wolves live in the wild.

Janeway believes the exhibit will serve as a comfortable home for the wolves and a tool to educate the public on the true nature of the often misunderstood animals. “People are excited not only if their last name is Wolf, but about the exhibit too,” said Janeway. “Wolves have an unflattering reputation as the ‘big bad wolf,’ but they’re closely related to dogs, man’s best friend. So our goal is to provide wolves with a wonderful home at the zoo, but also to educate our guests about wolves and their importance to ecosystems.”

The zoo hopes to detach the wolf from its notorious reputation, and instead wants the exhibit to celebrate the creature’s importance to the natural world.

Additional purchases like parking and food won’t be covered, but the whole “Wolf” family can enjoy a free trip to see the Cotton Family Wolf Wilderness and any of the zoo’s other exhibits.

 

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