Wolves are known for their aggressiveness and fierceness, and many people, including myself, would be terrified to meet one in person. Kekoa, the large grey wolf seen walking alongside Danielle at the start, is named after the Hawaiian word for “brave one.” Kekoa isn’t like the other wolves, and she certainly doesn’t fit the stereotype.

While she still demands respect, she also appears to have a high regard for others, particularly a woman named Danielle.Kekoa enjoys the good life at the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, an animal sanctuary near Colorado Springs. She, like the other animals at the sanctuary, lives there because she can’t survive in nature. Danielle, a staff member, has formed an incredible friendship with the large wolf.

When I first saw Kekoa and Danielle playing together, my jaw dropped. It’s a magical and surreal sight, especially when you consider how big Kekoa is compared to Danielle. As brave and noble as he appears, he’s also a big baby, and I mean really big! He weighs 115 pounds and stands approximately 7 feet tall when his front paws are placed on someone’s shoulders!And just when you think you’ve seen it all, another wolf named Sakura appears and wants to cuddle.

In an interview with The Dodo Wildlife Center staffer Michelle Smith explained: “Since he was raised by people and bottle fed from birth, he is very well socialized, which means he enjoys the company of others. This is not synonymous with domestication or taming. He is still a ‘wild’ animal, and he expresses it when he is around his sister. A wolf in the wild would not behave in this manner.”