They move through Yellowstone, the wind ruffling their thick fur as they stalk through the underbrush. Their paws make no sound against the damp earth. Ears pricked, eyes scanning for movement, nose twitching at the faintest scent of mule deer.

They are the alpha.

They are the hunter.

They are… playing “WolfQuest.”

For Ceci Butler, “WolfQuest” was more than just a game. As a kindergartener, the immersive single-player experience—where players learn to hunt, raise cubs and defend their territory—sparked a fascination that shaped their childhood.

“That’s kind of where the wolf obsession started,” Butler said. “And it’s been going strong ever since.”

What started as a childhood obsession became something more. Now a freshman, Butler has moved beyond the screen, trading pixels for paw prints in real-life encounters with wildlife.

They volunteer at Miller Park Zoo as a Junior Zookeeper, trading virtual wolves for real ones.

Every Saturday, Butler helps provide enrichment for the zoo’s two red wolves, Moonpie and Magnolia. They dart back and forth outside the enclosure, the wolves mirroring their movements behind the glass—a game that keeps the canines engaged and their minds sharp in captivity.

Come summer, Butler said, they’ll be spending most of their days at the zoo, drawn by a love for animals they’ve had “since [they] popped out of the womb.”

But passion alone didn’t erase their hesitation.

The summer before sixth grade, just a year after COVID, Butler’s parents signed them up for the zoo’s Junior Zookeeper program.

Butler was nervous. Apprehensive. Intimidated.

Not because of the animals. Not by the work.

By their peers.

“I get along with animals better than people,” Butler said.

“Everyone there was so extroverted,” they said. “I have trouble making friends.”

Still, Butler stepped into unfamiliar territory.

And now, Miller Park Zoo feels like “a home away from home,” Butler said.

Whether it’s hanging out with King Julian, the ring-tailed lemur, checking in on the Galápagos tortoises or stopping by the Zoo Lab to visit the snakes and insects, Butler spends every free moment surrounded by animals.

The experience has been freeing, giving Butler more confidence around their peers: launching the Zoology Club at Community and creating a space for students who share their passion.

“Every time my friends are available, I’m like, ‘Let’s go to the zoo,’” Butler said. “I think they like me nerding out, and I like showing off my knowledge.”

And when an opportunity arose to expand their role at the zoo, Butler faced another one of their biggest fears—needles. To increase their hands-on work with the animals, they had to get a tuberculosis shot.

At the zoo, Butler no longer needs a screen to stay entertained. There, surrounded by animals, they can be themselves—unplugged and engaged.

“I don’t even bring my phone most of the time,” they said.

But when the moment calls for it, Butler will have their phone ready—to capture a once-in-a-lifetime picture.

“For my birthday, we’re going to Wildlife Prairie Park in Hanna, Illinois, for an animal feeding experience,” Butler said. “I’m going to get to feed wolves.”

Wolves—that’s Butler’s favorite animal “right now.”

“They’re just so beautiful,” Butler said.

Someday, Butler hopes to see that beauty in the wild, visiting Yellowstone National Park, spanning Wyoming, Montana and Idaho—no computer screen, no glass divider between them.

Their passion for animals has already taken them to zoos across the Midwest—Brookfield, Lincoln Park, Glen Oak, and St. Louis—and beyond, to San Diego.

Butler is dreaming of their next stops: Montreal’s Biodome, an enclosed ecosystems where they’ll walk through replicas of the Americas’ diverse habitats. The real draw? Watching penguins roam the exhibit.

And some day—no fences, no barriers—just the wild.