Hello, since I've had some new followers, I've decided to make a post as to why I chose to have a radio collar name, along with why I chose the numbers I did (7093).
The common name on my blog is "Dusty", which isn't actually my real name, nor do I consider it one. It's more of an adjective of myself. Rolling in the dirt and mud, trekking through long forested areas and swimming across streams, my coat gets "dusty" from all the explorations.
Radio collaring is the more "human-made" way to contact and track wolves, along with other wild animal populations like orcas and foxes. The tracking number isn't for the animal to know itself, but for others to know, which is a common feeling I internalise alot while on social media. The numbers 7093 were inspired by wolves OR-7, and OR-93, two wolves that inspire me deeply and ones I feel a deep resonating connection with.
OR-7, (Pictured left) otherwise known as "Journey" was a male Canis Lupus Occidentalis born in Oregon and was tracked as the first wolf to be west of the Cascade Mountains since 1947, and first wolf in California since 1924. He later had a mate and a litter of pups before dying of old age in 2020.
OR-93 (Pictured right) was a wolf from 2019 who travelled over 1,000 miles (1,610km) across Oregon and California in search of a mate during wolf dispersal. Unfortunately was struck and killed in 2021 while trying to cross the Interstate.
Along with looking very similar to myself, both OR-7 and OR-93 have inspired me into creating a radio-collar ID number for myself, along with posts from other radio-collared animals like:
@otherbodied (1806X)
@talankii (SN0797)
@astrakaninez (1309F)
Anyone can refer to me as Dusty, or 7093/7093M, or even a non-name basis such as wolf, wolfdog, canine, etc. My relationship with names and naming conventions is difficult to describe and harder to understand, having numbers that connect with other wolves and isn't originally human-made brings me great species euphoria.
If you'd like to learn more of radio-collar IDs, I recommend @hxvnsentfangs "Radio Collar IDs: What Are They, Meaning Behind Them, and How to Create Your Own" (Posted July 4th, 2026)
I'm not a leading figure of radio collar IDing within the nonhuman community, nor do I want to be. All I can promote is self-identity and freedom of expression for personal discovery and species euphoria. Please take all methods of this expression with personal nuance and not treat it as a "trend" or "stereotype" of nonhumanity. Thank you.
