The Last Wolf

 GHOSTS IN THE WOOD

the story of the last wolf in Moray

The First Lament

Who will chant the WolfWords now?

Who will speak the Wolf's Words?

Who will tell the Wolf's own story

Now the woods no longer sing?

There are “last wolf” accounts found all over the UK. From full scale dramatic descriptions to single sentnce in a history book, we have noted the departure of this iconic predator. Accounts are almost always congratulatory which might reflect the impact wolves had - or were blamed for having – or might have had - on local communities. Rarely is there any thought of what the bigger consequences of losing wolves might mean.

see note at end about pics!

19th Century accounts  (follow the link for a useful description of the situation) describe the killing of the last wolf in Moray in 1743. Somewhere on the banks of the Findhorn in current Darnaway Forest, MacQueen of Pollochoch claimed to have " buckled wi' him and dirkit him, and syne whuttled his craig and brought awa' his countenance". There is, however, a sense that, perhaps, the description is wrapped in later melodrama and the need for that romanticism of the highlands. (we have been using Jim Crumley's book The Last Wolf as a starting point)


But the story, however much the description of the events may be exaggerated, is intriguing, engaging and inspiring. With The Last Wolf project, we are using that account as a springboard for conversations about loss and extinction, about landscape change and our human responsibility. More powerfully, we hope the project will invite a deeper, personal, spiritual exploration of our relationship with the world around us. Hoping not to get too tangled up in rewilding, reintroduction and completely hysterical conversations, we want people to think about what all this: species loss, species change, and landscape changes, might mean for them on a deeper level.

Creatively, we will find ways of expressing those relationships: drawing, printing, model-making, writing and more. Starting as a collaboration between artists Caroline Bury and Gordon MacLellan, this work will grow into both physical and digital exhibitions, the former hosted by Løre Gallery in Forres as part of its Into the Wildwood Year in 2026 (see below for more on the partners here)

some of Caroline's artdolls

The Last Wolf is firmly anchored in landscapes. We can still walk the riverbanks and woodlands the Wolf visited. We can see the homes identified in that 18th Century account. We can meet trees standing now that were growing then, and we can linger by river pools mentioned so long ago. Wolf offers a wonderful opportunity to link past and present experiences and encourage people to look ahead, to build a vision of the future. From rewilded landscapes to new ways of living with and within our landscapes, Wolf can help people imagine the world they want to live in.


The Last Wolf relates to the landscapes of Moray and the eastern Highlands of Scotland – around the towns of Nairn and Forres and the Findhorn and Nairn rivers. If you are interested in hosting a workshop in that area please get in touch: we can tell stories, work with groups (schools, community groups, open public events) to create strange and wonderful creatures and characters, find the words that tell personal stories as tales and poems

As we get started, this post becomes another invitation…Caroline’s exhibition at Løre Gallery is set to run between 30th October – 1st January 2027. Creeping Toad(i.e.me!) is involved as a poet and storyteller, adding words to accompany Caroline’s visual storytelling. Like the leaves on the trees and the toadstools in the leaf mould, everything evolves slowly, at its own pace and in unpredictable directions.

Here, we encourage people to explore those reflections for themselves: thinking about species loss and landscape change, reflections upon those species that have gone, those who are in peril now and those who are returning (planned or not!)…or simply turning up…beavers, boars and dragonflies!

We would love to share images and links to other people’s posts and blogs (and, sorry, but we will exercise our own critical judgement on what we share). When we can, we will post snippets from those posts or add images to the galleries that will start developing as material comes in

Themes you might turn to:

• · Species loss
• · Landscape change
• · Climate change
• · Reintroduced species
• ·New species arriving in their own right
• · The consequences for an environment of the loss oof a single species
• · Keystone species: https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/why-rewild/reintroductions-key-species/keystone-species-and-trophic-cascades
• we ourselves, as people in a changing world: how do we feel, how do you feel...get out there, sit beneath a tree and feel the world living around you....

And where do the Ghosts come in?

Caroline and I are both exploring the idea of those others who witnessed that last hunt. Not always human, not even often human, the woodland watched its last wolf run. Their voices are inspiring us both: with characters and sculpture from Caroline and poems and chants and prayers and charms from me. Here are voices and people that linger in the quiet corners of woods along the Findhorn, whispers in the shadows: ghosts in the wood


The Team
Caroline Bury: an artdoll-maker and dancer, Caroline describes her work: "Living in our human world with such cruelty, terror and despair, I balance my art with wonder and delight...I love feeling inspired by nature and creating from that feeling. Much of my art work happens this way but sometimes a continuation of a dream, a poem or a bird call is enough."

Løre Gallery: "the carved Tree of Life is at the heart of the Gallery’s identity. Like the tree itself, we are grounded in the past while reaching toward an unknowable future. Our work is a tribute to the enduring beauty of nature and the shared threads of humanity, seen through the artistic legacy of three ancient cultures: Pictish, Norse, and Celtic.
This is more than a gallery. It is a celebration of heritage, sustainability, and the living bond between art and nature."

Gordon MacLellan: and I come into this work as a storyteller and poet. I am an ecologist and a teacher and a shaper of celebrations, but mostly I am a storyteller, using stories and creativity to inspire relationships with the world around us. Helping people find their own creative connection to the world we live in is central to my work in the belief that we will work hardest to protect and enhance the things we love and watching people remember they love the places around them and respect and value the everyday plants and animals is what gives me hope for positive environmental change.

Next Steps

This project is now gathering speed (our wolves are starting to run!) and we are keen to talk to interested people: other artists, venue managers, exhibition hosts or simply keen and helpful people! Contact Gordon at creepingtoad@btinternet.com

Who will chant the WolfWords now?

Who will speak the Wolf's Words?

Who will tell the Wolf's own story

Now the woods no longer sing?

from Lament, Gordon MacLellan

Pictures and other images: no! these are not from the Findhorn River and Darnaway Forest. these are places and ideas that resonate with me as I get started on my contribution to all of this...so, from the top

• the Blackwater below Rogie Falls at Contin,
• a old, old Scots Pine in Glenmor, Cairngorms
• some of Caroline's work from her website
• the Blackwater below Rogie Falls at Contin
• a visiting boar - an illustration for my book Sacred Animals
• an ancient Oak in Richmond Park, Surrey
• Tree of Life carving from the Løre Gallery website