Ronan Donovan debuts new exhibition of wolf photographs in Bend, Oregon
The High Desert Museum in Bend is set to debut a new exhibition on wolves by National Geographic photographer Ronan Donovan. The museum says the exhibition is meant to show an intimate side of wild wolves that is less known to the public. The exhibit will feature Donovan’s photography of wolves in the greater Yellowstone area and in the high Canadian Arctic.
The exhibit will run from October 21st 2023 – February 11th 2024. For more information, click here.
“As a field biologist-turned-photographer, I strive to combine storytelling with scientific foundations as a way to draw people in and to tell stories about our rapidly changing world. I hope viewers can look into the wild nature portrayed in these images and be compelled to stand and protect it.” -Ronan Donovan
“Wolves are such a fascinating animal to me because of how complex their relationship is with humans,” Donovan says in a statement from National Geographic. “Wolves were the first animals humans domesticated some 30,000 years ago and they have lived alongside us ever since as guardians, workers and companions. Yet as humans moved to more sedentary lives, raising what amounts to easy prey in the form of livestock, wolves have found themselves in conflict with humans.”
Donovan hopes that his photos will provide people a better understanding of wolves as they are often-misunderstood animals.
In addition to the exhibition, the museum will host three programs to further explores the topic of wolves:
- The first event, “An Evening with Ronan Donovan,” will be a talk by Donovan on Thursday, October 26 at the museum. During this discussion, participants will spend the evening hearing the remarkable stories behind Donovan’s images and research. Click here for tickets.
- The next event, happening at OSU-Cascades on Friday, October 27, will focus on the lives of wolves in Oregon; “Face to Face with Oregon’s’ Wolves: Expert Perspectives” will be moderated by Donovan and feature a panel of local experts: Cameron Krebs (rancher), Emily Weidner (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist), Aaron Bott (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife wolf biologist) and Austin Smith Jr. (Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs natural resources manager). Click here for tickets.
- The final event, “Howling Around,” will happen on Saturday, October 28 at the museum, and is one the whole family can enjoy. Kids will have an opportunity to learn about wolf pack dynamics and how to howl like a wolf.
“Our goal in exhibiting Wolves: Photography by Ronan Donovan at the High Desert Museum is to familiarize visitors with the past, present and future of gray wolves in the region,” says Museum Donald M. Kerr Curator of Natural History Hayley Brazier, Ph.D. “The recent expansion of wolf packs into their historic ranges can be a divisive issue, but it’s a timely topic that the Museum is equipped to facilitate a conversation about. We hope our visitors leave with a more nuanced understanding of wolves and their growing presence in the High Desert.”
Source: KTMR
Photos by: Ronan Donovan