Tag: Wolf

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Is the UK going to start being more ambitious in the animals it chooses to reintroduce?

The UK has plans to start reintroducing bison to the UK. While this is very exciting, these are large animals and when they are allowed to roam free they could hurt humans. This is highly unlikely for any one individual, but may occasionally cause significant injury when looked at as a whole. 

European bison are large animals, far bigger than anything else currently found in the UK

Why do I bring this up? The main reason that wolves have not been reintroduced to the UK, is human fears. It is true that we would likely suffer low levels of predation of livestock, yet the main fear is of attacks on humans. While wolves can act aggressively towards humans on occasion, injury to the human is incredibly rare (the wolf will almost always run before the human gets close enough to be at risk).

Lynx is an even easier animal to suggest. There are no fatal attacks on humans as far as I’m aware, and as forest specialists they are even less likely to take sheep and wolves. What’s more, while a large links watching industry is likely to Spring up, these animals are incredibly hard to see. This means that without going to extreme lengths people are unlikely to encounter them and therefore be scared by them.

Beavers have been given the right to remain. Indeed genetically correct beavers (i.e. European beavers) are multiplying rapidly, and gradually spreading out from where they were first discovered on the River Otter in Devon, with the population thought to number at least 300-500. These animals are being reintroduced all over the place. The Tayside population in Scotland is thought number at least 1000 animals and these is spread across a large part of Scotland though they still have a long way to go. Beavers however, rarely threaten human life and while they can do some damage are easier to accept.

It’s thought that the UK population of boar number at least 4000, with between 1/3 and 1/2 of these living in the forest of Dean. A pair of boar can have as many as 30 offspring in one season- meaning that without regular culling the population could very rapidly explode. They are having very positive effects on woodlands in the areas that they exist, and my hope is that some of the animals could be moved rather than being shot. Boar unlike beavers can certainly be a threat to humans, though again will only hurt people when they feel threatened. 

Other species like bears have had trials done, and likely would be far easier than lynx or wolves to live alongside. This is because as omnivores bears spend much of the year eating vegetation. It is true that some bears take to eating many sheep, but this is not common, and it is entirely possible to cull or move animals that take out this habit. Bears could also create vast tourism in areas that they live.

Animals such as pine martens should be given a helping hand. Locally extinct across much of the UK, they should be reintroduced to woodlands up and down the country. Apart from restoring a native mammal, the grey squirrel – an invasive animal which does much more financial damage each year than the pinemartin ever has, would be rapidly removed, this in turn could allow the red squirrel to start to repopulate the UK

I hope that by 2050 all these animals have thriving populations in the UK. If this was the case, then we would have rebalanced the natural world in the UK allowing it to thrive in a way that it hasn’t for centuries. Of course with precious little remaining wilderness we may find that we do not have space for anything more than a handful of some of these species. I believe even this would be of use.

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Norway keeps demonstrating that they are not good conservators of the wildlife on their land

At the beginning of the year, a census showed that the population of wolves in Norway was about 81. This (you would think) is a population way to small to need a cull. Indeed at this population, you would think that even for trophy hunting, if you hope to be able to sell hunting permits again should be kept to single digits. In the Sierra de culebra is a hunting reserve: this reserve hosts around 80 wolves, and they allow at most 10 wolves to be hunted each year.

Norway announced that it would allow 51 wolves to be shot – about 60% of the population. This is totally insane, and indeed, they were taken to court. What is more ridiculous, is that the wolves live within the “wolf zone” an area of nature set aside to protect the predators. In virtually every country in the world, the idea of killing animals in an area set aside for their survival seems counter-intuitive. This zone makes up 5% of the country.

The appeal was rejected, and over the weekend hunts went on. A total of 9 wolves were shot.

9 Wolves killed over the weekend in Norway after a cull ban was lifted by the government

This is foolish for Norway’s global reputation, as well as being foolish in terms of managing the local ecosystem. Furthermore, while a small level of culling may be required to control predation of livestock, Norway is likely to be able to make a great deal of money from wolf tourism – many people visit the country to see the wonderful scenery, and the return of the wolf could have increased these wild tourism numbers

Unfortunately all three Nordic countries have similar plans, with Finland suspending plans to kill 3 packs of wolves just last month – citing European legislation.

Sweden has shot most of their annual quota of 27 wolves (this is the country in which I had the best view of a wolf, by chance while sitting in a bear hide).

Pressure on the Nordic nations should be brought to bare, to halt this unnecessary slaughter from being repeated

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The federal protections of grey wolves that Trump removed, are returned making them protected once again across much of the USA

Federal protection for wolves has returned across much of the USA. A US District judge ruled that the US Fish and Wildlife service had failed to show wolf populations could be sustained in the Midwest and west without the protection he was removing.

Given the near eradication of the wolf in many places, this seems to be an understatement. The ruling does not affect (directly) the wolves of the northern rockys – areas of Montana and Wyoming, as well as small parts of a few other states. These remain under state jurisdiction.

Bizarrely, Biden (who has made an effort to undo many of the short-sighted moves of his predecessor, defended Trumps rules. They argued that wolves are capable of rebounding rapidly even if the population drops dangerously low – a foolish view, to say the least.

Of particular concern, 23 wolves have been killed in Montana, after they crossed out of yellowstone. The animals have no idea that they are leaving protected land, and arbitrary lines beyond which hunting is permitted can threaten the future of the animal in that part of America.

Trumps move was both way to soon, and without any controls. There are still many states, where wolves are still missing or only just beginning to recolonize -they were once found in all states. In particular, California, Colorado, Oregon among others are just having wolves move back into the state. California currently only has about 3 wolf packs, so wolves are only recolonising. Their absence from California, alongside the grizzly has impacted the ecosystem, and their return should fix many problems

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Wolves howling in Italy

I have only been lucky enough to hear wolves howl once in the wild, on the edge of the Sierra de Culebra in Spain (I have also heard them from a zoo). While it is reasonably common to hear a wolf howling in the wild, seeing it happen is far rarer.

A wolf howl is an eerie sound, and certainly lives up to its claims of being spine tingling. I do not consider it an aggressive sound, and certainly it is not meant as one – wolves howl as a way to spread out, and avoid having to fight. In other words, howls are for other wolves and are not intended to scare humans.

Now, I fully understand that as a farmer these noises can be more alarming. However, it has been clearly shown that with relatively simple processes wolf predation can be reduced to near zero (large dogs to live with the sheep, and bringing the sheep near the farm house at night.

Wolf howls are very useful for wolf researchers as it allows them to document the animals without changing their behaviour by getting too close. European wolves tend to howl less than American wolves as there is more history of wolf hunting here. Still, these howls do occur in Europe, and as they recover these nocturnal noises will spread and become more common once again.

Single wolf talking to its pack from the Ghirandi Reserve in Italy

This wolf happened to howl right next to a camera trap, hence the footage. If you watch (or listen) right to the end, you can hear the pack answer. I know for most people the sound of wolves howling is thought to be scary (this is perpetuated by horror films), yet as this is essentially a long distance chat, or even there to stop violence, this fear should stop.

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Norway continues to ignore science, but the wolf cull has been halted (for now)

Norway is a large country with only 5.4 million population. One would think therefore, that there would be plenty of space for healthy populations of wildlife. Indeed, one would be correct.

However, they draw the line at wolves.

At the start of the year, there was roughly 80 wolves in Norway. It seems foolish to need to say this, but this is not many for a country of this size. Similarly bears only number around 14, and lynx 350. With huge populations of musk ox deer elk and many other herbivores. This is clearly not enough predators.

Unfortunately this is not a view held by Norway.

51 wolves out of the population of 80 were due to be killed. This is clearly not a scientific cull, but one to placate hunters and farmers.

25 of the animals were due to be killed within four packs that live in the “Wolf zone” an area specifically set aside to protect predators. It is these wolves who have been given a stay of execution – conservationists argued that it is absurd to have an area set aside for nature, and to kill such a large proportion of a species that lives within it.

Conservation groups are taking the Nordic countries to court over their extreme hostile environment that they have for wolves. On Friday, Finland suspended licences to kill 3 packs of wolves specifically because of EU legistlation.

It is not wise to cull entire populations. Importantly, significant numbers of tourists visiting the Nordic region come for the wildlife. In other words, these animals are worth far more alive than dead.

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Looking at countries which are learning to live with the wolf after a century if its absence

Wolves returned to the Czech republic after a centuries absence in 2014. Why is this of interest? Well, there are areas across the USA which have been missing the wolf for one hundred years, so it is worth watching to see how they adjust. The Czech republic does still have forest cover of around 34% meaning that there is plenty of territory.

First camera trap photo of a wolf returning to czech republic back in 2014

In the 7 years since, wolves have done well with the population currently estimated at 50-80.

They are currently generally accepted back, as they bring in significant money from tourism.

Now the Czech republic is not a small country, but wolves were pushed to extinction and this despite large areas of forest.

In a similar way, bears were wiped out. Sightings have become more common, and if hunting pressure is reduced they are likely to recolonize. There is a stable population of 600-800 in Slovakia.

I hope to add places to stay, as tourism with greatly help in encouraging this country that it is financially worth it, to have these animals close by.

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Bears and wolves are not good friends seen recently as bear steals a kill from wolves in Yellowstone

Most scavengers are relatively small. Animals like jackals are unable to make large kills. Furthermore, the amount left behind by lion and leopard is usually more than enough for a jackal to survive on.

In the northern hemisphere though, bears get a great deal of their calories from scavenging. They have an incredibly keen sense of smell, allowing them to find dead animals,

However unlike the jackal, they are very capable of hunting. They can be seen from time to time, mixing the two.

A bear runs along with a wolf pack, and then steal the price

Bears, particularly Grizzly bears, are very strong. In peak health, a large bear is more than capable of taking on a pack of wolves. They also require huge quantities of calories, and before going into hibernation, this will often push them to take bigger and bigger risks.

This is not hugely rare behaviour, but it is far rarer that it be filmed.

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It is becoming more and more clear, that Trumps move to delist wolves was too soon and completely uncontrolled -perhaps by design?

I have written about issues that have arisen from the delisting of wolves in America. Given their absence from a large portion of the USA, the suggestion that they have recovered is insane. Unfortunately, putting states in charge takes the decisions of what a sensible ‘harvest’ is, away from scientists and puts it in the hands of local governors.

Wisconsin has already killed 1/3 of the wolf population based in the state. The fact is, that Wisconsin stated that their aim was to have a stable wolf population, something clearly not successful.

As you can see wolves have not been allowed to spread into currently available territory, let alone return to their historic ranges.
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