WolfQuest Discussion

An immersive, 3D wildlife simulation game, WolfQuest challenges players to learn about wolf ecology by living the life of a wild wolf in Yellowstone National Park.

The single-player game consists of two episodes. In the first episode, Amethyst Mountain, players explore the wilderness, hunt elk, and encounter stranger wolves in a quest to find a mate. In the newly released second episode, Slough Creek, players find a den, establish a territory, raise pups and defend them from predators such as coyotes and grizzly bears. Online multiplayer games let up to five players form a pack to explore and hunt together.

The WolfQuest experience goes beyond the game with an active online community where you can discuss the game with other players, chat with wolf biologists, and share artwork and stories about wolves.

WolfQuest Game: WolfQuest is an immersive, 3D wildlife simulation game that lets players learn about wolf ecology by living the life of a wild wolf in Yellowstone National Park. Players play alone or with up to four friends in on-line multiplayer games. In Episode 1: Amethyst Mountain players explore the wilderness, hunt elk, and encounter stranger wolves in a quest to find a mate. The new release features episode 2: Slough Creek in which players find a den, establish a territory, raise pups and defend them from predators such as coyotes, grizzly bears and other stranger wolves.

Since its launch two years ago, WolfQuest has received a number of awards including a 2009 MUSE Awards from the American Association of Museums and The Editor's Choice Award by Children's Technology Review. It was also selected by the National Science Foundation to present at the 2009 Senate Education Technology Showcase in Washington D.C. WolfQuest has been downloaded nearly 400,000 times in over 200 countries. The online community forum currently has more than 110,000 registered users that have posted over 870,000 times.

In 2009, a comprehensive summative evaluation run by the Institute for Learning Innovation showed that player interest in, connection to, and knowledge about wolves increased significantly after playing WolfQuest. Throughout the evaluation, WolfQuest was shown to be highly effective in achieving its goals and providing a rich and rewarding learning experience for the players. The Minnesota Zoo leads a national network of zoos and science education centers that promote WolfQuest through their websites including the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota, Yellowstone National Park, Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C. Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, the Toronto Zoo, the California Wolf Center, the Knoxville Zoo, the Rosamond Gifford Park Zoo in New York, the Phoenix Zoo and the Wild Canid Survival and Research Center in Missouri.


WolfQuest Web Site: The WolfQuest game is the focus of a game community Web site where players can learn about the game and download the latest version, as well as post tips and strategies, ask questions of wolf experts, share personal wolf artwork and stories, test their wolf knowledge with online polls and quizzes, compete for prizes, and participate in partner promotions. The Web site also features background information about wolf ecology and conservation and educational materials for classroom use.


WolfQuest Network: WolfQuest's impact is greatly expanded by a national network of Informal Science Education (ISE) institutions. Each institution publicizes the project to current and expanded audiences in its region.