So who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?
Wolves are one of the most feared animals, especially in the wild.
So when someone asks you how much money you would need to kiss a wolf, what would your number be?
In the wilderness of the white-capped mountains of Colorado, a woman proved that this is easier done than said.
A video released by the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center became viral.
The video featured a woman who was fearlessly playing with a giant wolf.
The wolf also showed great comfort and affection toward the human, which would make one think: who was this wolf?
Kekoa is one of the wolves being protected by the local wildlife office of Colorado. Kekoa, meaning “brave one” in Native American, is from Florida.
He was brought to the center as a puppy with his sister Sakara.
Kekoa is a big wolf.
He weighs around 115 lbs.
He is 7 feet tall when standing on someone’s shoulder.
For a bit of perspective, if you average the height of basketball players from the NBA, Kekoa would still be taller.
He’s known as the handsome wolf in his area, but Michelle Smith from the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center says he’s actually really timid.
She told The Dodo that they hoped the siblings could be ambassadors for wolf conservation in the area.
However, Smith also said that, unfortunately, wolves reach maturity quickly at the ripe old age of two years old.
Then, they’d become very shy.
But Kekoa doesn’t look too withdrawn from what we’re seeing.
It’s evident in the video that he loves greeting the human staff and is eager to play with them.
Smith warned, though, that Kekoa is an exception to the rule.
Wolves can be dangerous, especially when out in packs.
Smith explained that Kekoa is comfortable with humans because he grew up surrounded by personnel.
He and his sister experienced feed from the bottle humans were holding.
They also get to see humans on a natural and regular basis.
Wolves like Kekoa are the largest members of the canine family.
While domestic dogs have descended from wolves, humans have a long adversarial history with these animals as our habitats often intersect.
Because of this, they’ve developed a certain kind of notoriety, like in fairy tales and movies.
They are native to the northern hemisphere, but their numbers have also dwindled.
The largest populations are in Alaska, Canada, and Asia.
They are still considered the planet’s most widespread land animals.
It’s a great thing that this video is still as popular.
This snuggly cuddle bug of a wolf has recently passed away.
He was almost 15 when he crossed the rainbow bridge, and saying he lived a full life is an understatement.
Wolves in the wild only have an average lifespan of 4-5 years.
Hopefully, as more people come across this memory of Kekoa, they’ll be reminded of the majesty and magnificence of these creatures.
Click the video below to see Kekoa act like a snuggly baby when given a bit of love!
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