HIGH TIDE: Reader offers evidence of red wolf in South Walton

“Foot prints you say? Were they of a man or a woman ?”

“Mr. Holmes, they were the foot prints of a gigantic hound!”

Thus begins the tale of a large puppy in Arthur Conan Doyle’s; “Hound Of The Baskervilles.”

A month ago we reported on such prints in the mauling of one my neighbor’s pussy cat. I don’t believe they could have been as large as the Baskerville hound but they were big.

Matching them to a book on animal prints gave evidence of a wolf. With the reintroduction of the almost extinct red wolf of Apalachicola, it is now almost for certain they have traversed west to our local, just as the coyote has moved eastward from Texas. Now we have both forest roamers.

I have previously written about the e-mails and phone calls from residents describing their sightings of these beautiful creatures, but now comes John Esling.

I was in the studio working one day and the phone rang. John introduced himself and said would I like to see some video he took awhile back of activity around a local pond. I shan’t give the location because of privacy, but I know it well. And besides the red wolf needs its privacy, too, even more importantly, protection from the uncaring bullet.

He sent the video to me via e-mail. When I opened it I had to grab onto my seat and screamed for my wife to see the movie. The whole episode was so wonderful, so caring, so moving in seeing these magnificent creatures that I’m not ashamed to say I started choking up emotionally.

There on my screen was mommy red wolf and cubs around a pond. The cubs were playing and jumping plus dragging around an old rag, then came the males. All in all, it was just too much.

To see the red wolves in South Walton, click here.

If you watch the flick you’ll see a large black and tan wolf. The full grown mature red wolf changes to that color, almost like a German shepard. You’ll note the other large males are still in beige and burnt umber colors.

As you watch the wonderful event you’ll see the mother go to the top of a small hill and watch her children play around the pool. Look at the majesty of the adult trot. You can immediately note the difference from the coyote. The wolves are much larger.

Also note the red tinge of hair on rear of the head, thus the distinguishing sign of the red species. How lucky we are here in South Walton. We have been blessed to have been allowed to live with an abundance of wildlife, almost as if we are part of this natural zoo. Now we must do our duty to preserve its wonders.

You visitors are not to worry, the red wolf unlike the Northern wolf shuns man. They are normally solitary hunters but some times pack up to bring down larger prey. Never has there been a record of one attacking a man. I hope you get to see them someday; I know that’s my dream.

An enormous thanks to John Esling. 

Fair winds to ye matey.

Chick Huettel is a long-time Walton County resident, writer and artist. He is a member of a number of local organizations including the Emerald Coast Archeological Society. E-mail him in care of The Sun at sunnews@link.freedom.com.