Wolf Dressed In Fire

People are working to keep an endangered predator’s flame alive.

- Sneed B. Collard III

A few years ago, I visited the African country of Ethiopia. My wife and I flew to the capital city, Addis Ababa. We hired a car and driver so that we could explore. Our destination was Bale Mountains National Park.

Our goal? To see wildlife— especially one fascinating animal that few people have ever heard about.

To reach the park, we drove for two days. The third morning, we followed a rough dirt road as it twisted and bumped its way up the side of a mountain. Soon, we reached a plateau more than 10,000 feet above sea level.

In this highland area, unusual shrubs and grasses spread in every direction. Strange, tree-like plants called giant lobelias poked up like silent watchmen. Suddenly, our driver hit the brakes.

“Over there!” he shouted. We turned to see an astonishing sight. Through the bushes trotted an animal the size of a coyote. It had a dark bushy tail,pointy ears, and a long snout. Most remarkable was its fiery reddish-orange coat, with white fur under its chest and legs.

“Ethiopian wolf!” our driver proudly told us.