Alawa (the sleep howler) is a captive-born Canadian/Rocky Mountain gray wolf at the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC), a 501c3 non-profit organization, in South Salem, NY.

 She is one of the four 'ambassador wolves' at the WCC that help teach the public about wolves and their vital role in the environment.

The WCC’s mission is to promote wolf conservation by teaching about wolves, their relationship to the environment, and the human role in protecting their future. The WCC accomplishes this mission through onsite and offsite education programs emphasizing wolf biology, the ecological benefits of wolves and other large predators, and the current status of wolf recovery in the United States.

All wolves travel in packs. Mother and father wolves are referred to as alphas. The alphas hunt for food for their young. They also choose den sites and territory for the pack.


Wolves communicate with one another through howls and whistles. The theory that wolves howl at the full moon is based on the fact that wolves tend to howl more frequently when the dark nights are lighter due to extra moonlight.