Romeo would pick it up and bring it to Harry to throw. 'For my friend Harry Robinson, who had an incredibly close relationship with the wolf, the wolf would bring out toys that he'd stashed,' Jans said. Jans chronicles an improbable series of relationships between the wolf and many of the people and dogs in Juneau in his book, A Wolf Called Romeo. The average life span for a wild wolf is only three years. 'It's one thing to have a tolerant meeting with a wild wolf that goes on for a matter of minutes,' Jans said. Months turned into years and the wolf continued to hover on the edges of the city, an ambassador from the wilds beyond.

Romeo began to play regularly with a number of dogs whose owners frequented the area. 'We were keeping our dog under control and she just slipped out from under my fingers, which were hooked around her collar,' Jans told National Geographic. Dakotah, Jans' 'Juliet', slipped away and stood nose to nose with Romeo. Not only did the wolf stay nearby – a rarity for animals that often cover hundreds of miles of territory – it also began playing with one of Jans' dogs, a female Lab. What he imagined would be a fleeting glimpse grew over the next few months into a unique relationship. It all started in December of 2003, when Alaskan wildlife photographer Nick Jans spotted the wild wolf from his back deck. There's even a special tribute to him there. He became famous in Juneau, Alaska for being a lone wolf who played with all the locals dogs at the Mendenhall Glacier during the winter months. A Wild Wolf Meets A Lab And Stands Nose To Nose.

A wolf named romeo