I'm not a zoologist. And I never had a chance to watch wild wolves.
Mainly because there are only few wolves in central Europe
left. The few remaining keep a great distance from humans (for
good reason). I have to respect their behaviour because it is
essential for their survival. But I can still be fascinated by
these great species. The following is a very quick translation
from the German version of my pages hence the poor English.
No animal was more feared and merciless hunted to near extinction
than the wolf. The father of our domestic dogs was condemned
for no reason:
- Wolves don't attack humans.
There is not a single credible report of an attack of a wild
and healthy wolf. The opposite is the case: Wolves keep a
great distance to humans.
- Wolves rarely kill lifestock.
If it happens mainly sheep are affected. But an
attantive shepherd and a well-trained guard dog effectivly reduces
eventual losses. Cattle seems to be much less affected. Hence
the remaining losses can be easily compensated by the tax payer.
Lifestock usually isn't the food source for wolves. Wild domestic
dogs are a much greater problem.
- Food competition is nonsense today.
The wolf used to get hunted because he was competing for the
same game human hunters trying to get. This may have been a
valid reason for the cave man, since mankind settled down more
and more it lost its importance to the same degree.
- Wolves are social.
They build packs, compareable with human families, organized in
a hierarchy. But not the physical strongest member of the community is
necessarily the individual at the top of this system (the so-called
Alpha wolf). Less the most brutal one. It needs a certain character
to keep the pack together. The hierarchy is dynamic structure.
Sometimes it gets very loud when this structure changes, sometimes
even fights erupt. However, primates, such as humans, are far more
brutal in this situation...
- Wolves don't howl at the moon.
The "howling" is part of their communication,
it most likely tightens the social structure. The moon
has nothing to do with it. And it doesn't sound spooky.
It is the most beautiful song I've ever heard.
So what's the fascination of the wolf?
For me individual reasons: the whole physiognomy is perfect,
the proportions, the fur, the muscle structure, the eyes
(definately the eyes), the tail: there is nothing more
beautiful on earth. Additionally the adaptivity that made
possible a population spread over the whole northern
hemisphere, with exception to tropical and desert regions.
Much more information about the wolf is available on the net,
just follow the links.
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Copyright 2002 by Jörg Reuter.
Last modified: 2002-07-03
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