Both fearsome and fascinating, wolves have a long and complicated history with humans. While they have been the subject of debate for thousands of years, wolves have managed to avoid total extinction, even when their population number dropped to 300 in the 1960’s. In honor of the wolf’s perseverance and prowess, Herend created the Lone Wolf as part of their limited-edition Reserve Collection.

Herend’s Wolf is the definitive lone wolf, being the first and only Herend figurine to wear a coat of alternating gray and platinum fishnet. This unique color mix captures the essence of a Gray Wolf, the most prevalent variety in the U.S. The eerily realistic-looking eyes add the finishing touch to enhance the drama of this Herend treasure.

Wolves are the descendants of prehistoric Dire Wolves, powerful creatures which roamed North America approximately two million years ago. Now extinct, these predators hunted prey as large as wooly mammoths. Even with such capabilities, as wolves evolved, humans never became a desired target. Contrarily, the hunter became the hunted. The Aztecs, for example, killed wolves for their livers, which were believed to possess healing powers. In Ireland, wolves were exterminated until the last animal was killed in the late 1700’s. In the U.S., a war was waged against the wolf in the 1900’s, as wolves were perceived as pests who threatened the American people’s safety and prosperity. 

Thankfully, measures were taken in the U.S. to protect the wolf’s dwindling populations, which plummeted to the brink of extinction. In 1974, the Endangered Species Act was enacted, and the wolf was among the first animals to be put on the protected list. Today, around 5,000 wolves inhabit North America, mostly in Yellowstone National Park and the Rocky Mountains. Conservationists are hopeful that wolf populations will remain stable.

Wolves are intelligent and gregarious animals. They form close relationships and strong social bonds with members of their packs. Even alphas are known to express deep affection for their families, going to great lengths to protect their pups. Herend’s Wolf is a symbol of strength and loyalty, making it the perfect gift for a member of your own pack.

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