Tainted Wolves

Tainted Wolves – Session 1 (Thursday, October 7th, 2-5pm)

USA, 2009, 8 min.

Director/Producer: Amitabh Avasthi

Each year, nearly 70 percent of gray wolf pups in Minnesota die from a virus common in domestic dogs. Scientists believe that a series of rare mutations and increased air travel have helped the feline virus jump from cats to dogs, and then to gray wolves. TAINTED WOLVES explores the threat to gray wolf populations from canine parvovirus, the factors helping its spread, and the lessons we can draw from viruses—H1V1, SARS, Coronavirus, H1N1 swine flu—that jump from one species to another.

Shot in the style of a news documentary, the film includes interviews with wolf biologists and epidemiologists, as well as aerial footage of the wolves’ range, to illustrate how encroachment by humans may be creating more suitable conditions for the spread of canine parvovirus. The film is of interest to a wide general audience passionate about science, wildlife, and the environment.

Website:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1546025/

Trailer:  http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi2257520921/

Links suggested by filmmaker:  http://www.davemech.com/,   http://www.wolf.org/wolves/index.asp

Festival Appearances:

Frozen River Film Festival (Jan 2010, Winona, MN)

Blue Planet Film Festival (Oct 2010, NY / LA)

Artivist Film Festival (Nov 2010, Hollywood, CA)

 Colorado Environmental Film Festival (Oct 2010, Golden, CO)

 Vineyard Film Festival (2011, Nicosia, Cyprus)