Madeleine Torneman’s film, The Right to be Wild, tells the story of the near extinction and return to the wild of the endangered Mexican Gray Wolf. Filmed largely within the scenic Mexican wolf recovery area in the Southwest, her documentary highlights people who played critical roles in recovering the Lobos of the Southwest and emphasizes the beauty and ecological importance of wolves.
David Parsons received his Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from Iowa State University and his Master of Science degree in Wildlife Ecology from Oregon State University. Dave is retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service where from 1990-1999 he led the USFWS’s effort to reintroduce the endangered Mexican gray wolf to the American Southwest. Dave’s interests include the ecology and conservation of large carnivores, protection and conservation of biodiversity, and wildlands conservation at scales that fully support ecological and evolutionary processes.
Dave is the Carnivore Conservation Biologist and a member of the Board of Directors of The Rewilding Institute; a former member of the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance; a founding member of the Science Advisory Board of Project Coyote; and a former graduate advisor in the Environmental Studies master’s degree program at Prescott College. Dave serves as a science and policy advisor for organizations and coalitions advocating for wolf recovery and landscape-scale conservation in the Southwest.
In 2001, Dave received the New Mexico Chapter of The Wildlife Society’s annual “Professional Award.” In 2007 at the North American Wolf Conference, Dave received the “Alpha Award” for his “outstanding professional achievement and leadership toward the recovery of Mexican wolves.” In 2008 he received the “Outstanding Conservation Leadership Award” from the Wilburforce Foundation and the “Mike Seidman Memorial Award” from the Sky Island Alliance for his conservation achievements. Dave received the “Leader of the Pack” award from Project Coyote in 2019 and was named a “Climate Hero” by the organization One Earth in March 2024.
Dave enjoys wildlife viewing, wilderness adventures, and dancing. He lives in Albuquerque, NM, with his wife, Noralyn.
This was an educational, inspiring, and great documentary about the Mexican Gray Wolf. Blessings to those who work to save and protect the endangered Mexican Gray Wolf. May they survive.
Other than “Great film!” my only comment is that ranchers and their damn cattle are the problem, and not just for wolves. There is NO WAY to have huge non-native animals like cattle in the western U.S. without doing massive ecological damage and killing native wildlife. The cattle need to be removed, and placating ranchers is not the answer to anything.