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Public opinion of wolves?
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What do you think of wolves, would you say they are dangerous animals, can they co-exist with humans and what is your opinion regarding their reintroduction (including the possible one into the UK)? As something a wolf nut I'm just wondering what the general public opinion was. (By the way, I'm not going to get angry at people who's opinions differ from mine. I'm just curious, that's all).
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I heard a programme on the radio about the re-introduction of wolves into the wild in (I think) North America, and the reaction of the local residents (not many of them though)
and the farmers whose stock was likely to be at risk. They had come to a compromise and the situation was being monitored. The numbers stayed fairly static, with young ones being born only replacing older ones that died, over a course of a few years. They seemed to regulate themselves somehow.
Its a case of give and take really, no doubt some people would be against it if they had livestock, but I think many people would like to see them back in the wild.
I heard a programme on the radio about the re-introduction of wolves into the wild in (I think) North America, and the reaction of the local residents (not many of them though)
and the farmers whose stock was likely to be at risk. They had come to a compromise and the situation was being monitored. The numbers stayed fairly static, with young ones being born only replacing older ones that died, over a course of a few years. They seemed to regulate themselves somehow.
Its a case of give and take really, no doubt some people would be against it if they had livestock, but I think many people would like to see them back in the wild.
I think it is great!
Men has co-existed with wolves amicably for thousands of years. It is only in the last few hundred years that humans have started to persecute wolves and steal their natural environment. The least we can do is now try to remedy the harm we've done, not only to wolves, but also wildlife in general.
I wasn't around when wolves were truly wild :-) but I do believe that they are naturally shy of humans and - perhaps apart from the odd rogue - present no danger to Men, certainly no more than the domesticated dog.
Men has co-existed with wolves amicably for thousands of years. It is only in the last few hundred years that humans have started to persecute wolves and steal their natural environment. The least we can do is now try to remedy the harm we've done, not only to wolves, but also wildlife in general.
I wasn't around when wolves were truly wild :-) but I do believe that they are naturally shy of humans and - perhaps apart from the odd rogue - present no danger to Men, certainly no more than the domesticated dog.
We have lived with wolves for millennia as we domesticated them and they became today's domestic dogs. We only grew to hate them when they preyed on other animals we had domesticated such as sheep and goats.
Wolves are no danger to humans as they are very shy. They hear humans approaching from miles away and disappear in the opposite direction long before we see them. I think it is true to say that there is no record of a human being ever having been attacked by a wolf in the wild.
Wolves are no danger to humans as they are very shy. They hear humans approaching from miles away and disappear in the opposite direction long before we see them. I think it is true to say that there is no record of a human being ever having been attacked by a wolf in the wild.
Almost right Andyvon. No human has been killed by a wild, healthy wolf within the period of documentation (about 200 years) before this time it is unknown as any records are not sufficiently reliable to say anything either way. However there have been a few deaths due to rabies (which the humans introduced to wolves in order to cull them - it then infected thousands of domestic dogs...clever or what?) and several people have been killed by 'pet' wolves or other captive individuals, usually due to ignorance on the keeper's behalf (crawling into a den to steal a mother's pups isn't the most sensible thing you can do). But just for reference, there is still a much greater chance of you dying of putting your socks on than there is of getting killed by a wolf. (4 people annually die in the UK alone due to socks!)
Also a note for RATTER15 and Kita1, I agree with what you thought farmers would do, but it's downright stupid really. Livestock farmers may lose a few animal, but what they don't realise is that studies have shown that a wolf presence also stimulates greater numbers of offspring and fertility in prey animals, which would easily counter any financial loss! (On top of that Defenders of Wildlife currently give a 100% cash refund for losses and ecotourism is enhanced by such a large amount that an area the size of Scotland could bring in about 30 million pounds of pure profit every year, even after refunds, compensation for redundent hunters, shops who would sell equipment and ammunition to those hunters and so on!)
Anyhoo, it's nice to know there's so many like minded people out there, so thanks for writing. Perhaps putting this on the animal section was something of a bias but it's nice anyway.
Also a note for RATTER15 and Kita1, I agree with what you thought farmers would do, but it's downright stupid really. Livestock farmers may lose a few animal, but what they don't realise is that studies have shown that a wolf presence also stimulates greater numbers of offspring and fertility in prey animals, which would easily counter any financial loss! (On top of that Defenders of Wildlife currently give a 100% cash refund for losses and ecotourism is enhanced by such a large amount that an area the size of Scotland could bring in about 30 million pounds of pure profit every year, even after refunds, compensation for redundent hunters, shops who would sell equipment and ammunition to those hunters and so on!)
Anyhoo, it's nice to know there's so many like minded people out there, so thanks for writing. Perhaps putting this on the animal section was something of a bias but it's nice anyway.
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