Continuing to focus on our Board of Directors, the following is Michael Clough’s story. We will be posting one story every week for the next few weeks! If you can’t wait and want to read all of our Director’s stories, head over to “The People” page.
I was interested in predators and wolves in particular for most of my life. With some great wolf experiences in Minnesota’s Chippewa Forest and working with captive wolves at the Wolf Conservation Center, it is a trip to Yellowstone Park that stands out. We were attending a week-long course on Yellowstone’s predators through the Yellowstone Institute. The scheduled program leader had backed out at the last minute and was replaced by Rolf Peterson of Isle Royale fame. In addition to hanging out with one of the top wolf guys of his generation, we also had the opportunity to observe wolves every day. Half-grown pups at play, rallying howls and most memorable, a large pack of wolves surrounding a bison, that stood his ground and backed them off. Over a dozen wolves took turns testing the big herbivore who stomped his feet and shook his horns as if to say “Bring it on!” After fifteen minutes of sparring, the wolves moved off to pursue a herd of elk further down the valley and the bison returned to his grazing. It was a thrilling encounter that has etched itself in my mind and illustrates the challenges faced by our wild predators.”
Michael is a native Vermonter with a life-long interest in the outdoors and wildlife. 
Currently he is the Assistant Director at the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum and also works as a Trainer/Naturalist for Four Winds Nature Institute among other nature and education related jobs and board positions. He has a background in alternative and supplemental education with a special focus on the use of live animals and experiential learning. Mike graduated from Long Island University with a degree in Environmental Science/Biology and has worked at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, The Raptor Project, the Putnam/North Westchester BOCES Outdoor Education Program, New York’s Wolf Conservation Center and operates his own outdoor education and consulting business, Rockhopper Outdoor Education.