Interview Questions for Jeremy Heft

Aaron Frizzell
Instructor Dr. James Hepworth
Sunday, March 18, 2007

Background:

I am doing a research paper for Ethics & Ecology in my final semester at Lewis-Clark State College. With recent events surrounding Idaho’s desire to delist the gray wolf, I would like to revisit educating the public about the gray wolf and wild animals in general and how best to approach documentary photography and videography. In my years working with the Wolf Education & Research Center, I have adopted what I feel is a responsible approach to photographing wild animals.

Many of the questions we’ll be discussing today are going to be focused on the documentary Grizzly Man by Timothy Treadwell. After seeing the movie, I recalled the work we did with the Sawtooth Wolf Pack: Wolves of the Nez Perce. I remember, in particular, the training I received from you regarding how, in close contact, your job as pack manager and our encounters with the wolves inside the enclosure was to be conducted with the best interest of the wolf pack members in mind. Additionally, the procedures you implemented pertaining to greeting the wolves were to be done in such a manner that we would approach the pack members, allowing them a chance to get acquainted with the handlers.

Would you please give me some information about your background such as where you went to college, what types of work have you done as a biologist and how you came about working for the Wolf Education & Research Center (WERC) here in Winchester?

How long have you been working at WERC?

How did you arrive at your procedures for close contact with the members of the Sawtooth Wolf Pack?

Have your procedures as it relates to close contact with the pack members evolved as you observed the reactions of the wolves to contact with the staff of WERC? If so, what were some of the signs you observed from either the behavior of the wolves of through the behavior of the handlers?

Would you share your opinion as it relates to the close contact Timothy Treadwell had with the brown bears during his filming of the documentary? Specifically, do you feel the bears had grown accustomed to Timothy’s presence and tolerated that presence or do you believe the bears were showing signs of stress?

In your own words, how would you describe Mr. Treadwell’s style or approach to the filming of the documentary?

Do you agree or disagree with this style or approach?

What do you think was Mr. Treadwell’s goal when he began filming the documentary?
Do you feel his goal was maintained throughout the footage you saw or do you feel his goal changed as the footage continued through several seasons with the bears?
What is your primary goal as a biologist?

When your partnership with WERC ends, what area would you like to explore next as it pertains to biology?