Wolves in Scotland

Gotta disagree with you there am afraid
As said in the article you linked domestic dogs and horses are much more dangerous
I'm not a wildlife expert mind but I suspect if they were introduced the problem would be seeing them most wild animals avoid man
Would be brilliant for tourism I would pay to see wild wolves in Scotland
 
Or some wild campers, hill walkers. Its bonkers. Relevent here, many here enjoy trips to scotlands scenery and are safe from really dangerous wild animals. Stags can pose a risk, but not at the level of wolves.
 
LCPete said:
Gotta disagree with you there am afraid
As said in the article you linked domestic dogs and horses are much more dangerous
I'm not a wildlife expert mind but I suspect if they were introduced the problem would be seeing them most wild animals avoid man
Would be brilliant for tourism I would pay to see wild wolves in Scotland
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LOL. I'd pay NOT to see them. We have a lovely wilderness here, easy to walk around safely. Wolves would pose a danger for those exercising the right to roam and for other wildlife and farm stock.
 
Have you ever read about Paul Lister and his plans for Alladale ?

I'm not against it given the conditions and numbers.
 
I'm all for the wolves getting a real home of their own but someone's going to earn a Darwin award eventually, the trouble is there will be your average group of fearless 21 year olds out camping with a few cans of wife beaters (Stella Artois) all it takes is an idiot to think he'll be safe poking something with a stick. The main reasons that wolves have shown no threat is because the one's we've toyed with have been captive bred and human coinhabitance has been going on through several litters of pups, the wolves have nothing to fear - but, with every new litter the basic instincts will take power once again until that pack of wolves becomes a killer pack that will do anything for the chance of food and its safety. These enviro-idiots need to look at the long end of the plan, instead of just thinking that they need to add some wild dogs back into the scottish wilderness. It's just another stupid idea which I'm sure will be thrown out, if anything, they should provide a sanctuary possibly on an island and leave the animals to it (not like Isla Nublar) but just somewhere that they can all be left to their own devices - then at least we're doing our bit for conservation. There are far too many idiots about that will abuse idea of wild wolves roaming the highlands, whether that be invading its territory or thinking its harmless because it resembles a dog.
 
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They have been on about it for decades now about introducing wolves again.

Uneducated_Rick said:
Reintroducing wolves would cull deer numbers leading to an increased amount of heather to allow more ground nesting birds.

As for 'introducing' them - they were here until we killed them off!
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That's what us gamekeepers are for:p but yes you are right. Better find myself a new job lol
 
ST4 said:
They were kulled off for a reason back then. I am wary, really wary of this. It will disturb the status quo
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The status quo being your ability to shoot landscapes in rannoch moor without worrying about facing a pack of wolves?
They are just big wild dogs after all :p
 
canon_togger said:
The status quo being your ability to shoot landscapes in rannoch moor without worrying about facing a pack of wolves?
They are just big wild dogs after all :p
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Aye you got the idea. A horrific idea. I go there to get away from it all, wolves would disturb my serenity where the loudest thing is my D800 shutter.
 
Wolves wouldn't bother with deer and would not go near man but sheep? that's kebab on legs that is!

Stupid stupid idea.
 
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100% for it. It should have been done a long time ago. What I think is sad is the killing of the red kites and buzzards in the north of Scotland. They are trying to reintroduce these as well but it seems there is resistance to that. I like that they are introducing sea eagles in Fife too.
 
That argument could be used to remove lots of animals from the country side. It still wouldn't be a good idea to start removing native animals due to their lack of ecological benefit.. Wolves were here once and they can be again and I think they should be.
 
I think one of the speculative growing concerns was that Deer are getting a bit out of hand with damage to the eco systems, ruining shrubs, eating new tree shoots etc, A Wolf, if faced with wild deer will be like a cat to a mouse - yes it has its perks but look how reintroduction can alienate an environment. I know wolves were there once upon a time but the landscape has adapted in its place, look at what happens when some bright spark brung over a few colonial plants from the far east, it became invasive and nearly wiped out british plants, river weeds are another, bugs, grubs, you name it - they didn't think hard about it then - they won't think hard about it this time. Just let nature do its work instead of people tampering with it all the time ;)
 
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So you are against all reintroductions? And the safe guarding of our wildlife? Introducing a non-native species is very different from a controlled reintroduction.
 
HuntingMartians said:
That argument could be used to remove lots of animals from the country side. It still wouldn't be a good idea to start removing native animals due to their lack of ecological benefit.. Wolves were here once and they can be again and I think they should be.
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We all have our views, I'd be happy to see vast chunks of wildlife gone to the dinner plate to diversify our diet, particularly if they are of no ecological benefit. Foxes being a primary target.

My concern, is like Deer and Foxes as the liberal leftists animal lovers protest at fox hutning and the foxes grew in number, that the wolves would grow in numbers and we'd have safety issues with packs of wolves getting innocent people out enjoying the countyside.

People can see Wolves, safely, in nature reserves. Why spend money putting them in the public arena?
 
I do wonder where the fear comes from? Is there evidence from countries with wolves of this happening?

On the point of enjoying the country side. Is there any ecological benefit of the right to roam?
 
HuntingMartians said:
I do wonder where the fear comes from? Is there evidence from countries with wolves of this happening?
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Apparently wolf attacks aren't high, but as a pack they are a dangerous lot. It also sets a precedent, a bad one too, why not introduce bears...line in the sand needs drawn. It also costs money, who exactly foots the bill. Wouldn't it be wiser to spend it on road repairs, hospitals, schools...stuff we need.

HuntingMartians said:
IOn the point of enjoying the country side. Is there any ecological benefit of the right to roam?
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if I owned land, I'd be pee'd off about it, however it brings our species joy and the outdoors to explore. I can see a public benefit in it.
 
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ST4 said:
They were kulled off for a reason back then. I am wary, really wary of this. It will disturb the status quo
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This status quo is false though - deer run rampant and bird numbers are in decline

Do you not like the idea because they're too much like dogs?
 
Uneducated_Rick said:
This status quo is false though - deer run rampant and bird numbers are in decline

Do you not like the idea because they're too much like dogs?
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Game keepers best get gunned up and shoot the deer. Venison is delicious.

I prefer to keep my limbs and/or life when I am out in the countryside. Thats why I am not a fan of this. Wouldn't matter if they were bringing snow leopards over, my thoughts would be the same. Perhaps the south chilterns would be a good home for Tigers and Lions to roam free, its warm there and woodland is there too.
 
Flightphoto said:
I'm all for the wolves getting a real home of their own but someone's going to earn a Darwin award eventually, the trouble is there will be your average group of fearless 21 year olds out camping with a few cans of wife beaters (Stella Artois) all it takes is an idiot to think he'll be safe poking something with a stick. The main reasons that wolves have shown no threat is because the one's we've toyed with have been captive bred and human coinhabitance has been going on through several litters of pups, the wolves have nothing to fear - but, with every new litter the basic instincts will take power once again until that pack of wolves becomes a killer pack that will do anything for the chance of food and its safety. These enviro-idiots need to look at the long end of the plan, instead of just thinking that they need to add some wild dogs back into the scottish wilderness. It's just another stupid idea which I'm sure will be thrown out, if anything, they should provide a sanctuary possibly on an island and leave the animals to it (not like Isla Nublar) but just somewhere that they can all be left to their own devices - then at least we're doing our bit for conservation. There are far too many idiots about that will abuse idea of wild wolves roaming the highlands, whether that be invading its territory or thinking its harmless because it resembles a dog.
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Yellowstone park is full of bears and wolves and yes you've guessed it people over 3 million visitors every year as well as the residents. Needless to say the area is not overrun by scavenging wolves and bears feasting on the tourists. I believe less than 10 people have been killed by bears since yellowstone was opened as a park and as far as I know 0 deaths from wolves although they were only introduced in the 90's
 
The major problem here is people are stating that the Wolf is not a dangerous animal, there's a simple reason behind this - not many people go out into the forests of their native countries willy nilly, I went skiing in Bulgaria around 8 years ago by myself and was chased by a wolf - luckily I was fast enough to get away but ofcourse that could have been a one off. I've seen the dangerous end of them and I don't want to see others put in that situation.
I think the safest thing that can be done is to tag every live animal, keep them in a boundary (which would be stupid if the powers that be, don't)
Again, we're all speculating here but I'm pretty sure the answer's going to be no - too many people will complain, as they did with the fox hunting ban when that was around.
 
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ST4 said:
Game keepers best get gunned up and shoot the deer. Venison is delicious.

I prefer to keep my limbs and/or life when I am out in the countryside. Thats why I am not a fan of this. Wouldn't matter if they were bringing snow leopards over, my thoughts would be the same. Perhaps the south chilterns would be a good home for Tigers and Lions to roam free, its warm there and woodland is there too.
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Snow leopards aren't a native animal to Britain.

Wolves, bears and beavers (amongst others) are and should be reintroduced.

Thousands of years of evolution to fill niches in an eco system and we decide some should be removed - unbalances the entire system
 
jakeblu said:
Yellowstone park is full of bears and wolves and yes you've guessed it people over 3 million visitors every year as well as the residents. Needless to say the area is not overrun by scavenging wolves and bears feasting on the tourists. I believe less than 10 people have been killed by bears since yellowstone was opened as a park and as far as I know 0 deaths from wolves although they were only introduced in the 90's
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Doesn't yellowstone have armed park rangers and Americans are more likely to carry guns as their gun laws are much more relaxed. I'd feel safer with a proper rifle/gun to shoot attack animals if the need arose. We don't carry guns or have armed park rangers, it would be a blood bath in comparison.

Plus 10 deaths is 10 too many as its totally avoidable as we do not need bears in Scotland and they are not native no more.
 
LOL! Liberal leftists!!! There's no socialist agenda in reintroducing animals to an environment where they were there first anyway. I think it's a wonderful idea.
 
Uneducated_Rick said:
Snow leopards aren't a native animal to Britain.

Wolves, bears and beavers (amongst others) are and should be reintroduced.

Thousands of years of evolution to fill niches in an eco system and we decide some should be removed - unbalances the entire system
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I'd argue that the evolution caused their thankful demise in Britain, as we as humans evolved and got stronger. Perhaps the human species has reached its peak and wishes to extinct itself now by bringing back bears to kill them?

There's no sound business, economic reason, or indeed ecological one to re-introduce them.
 
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Also as long as you don't try and stroke them you'll be fine.
 
ST4 said:
Doesn't yellowstone have armed park rangers and Americans are more likely to carry guns as their gun laws are much more relaxed. I'd feel safer with a proper rifle/gun to shoot attack animals if the need arose. We don't carry guns or have armed park rangers, it would be a blood bath in comparison.

Plus 10 deaths is 10 too many as its totally avoidable as we do not need bears in Scotland and they are not native no more.
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Well thats 10 deaths in 140 years!
 
ST4 said:
I'd argue that the evolution caused their thankful demise in Britain, as we as humans evolved and got stronger. Perhaps the human species has reached its peak and wishes to extinct itself now.

There's no sound business, economic reason, or indeed ecological one to re-introduce them.
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Now that's just daft! Animals and humans (also animals) have lived side by side for hundreds of thousands of years.
 
Why does Scotland have to be the trial place for this anyway? Why not the lake district or Wales or the Breacons, Chilterns etc

Cos its too close to comfort for the powers that be and Landaners, so they can enjoy a bear spotting holiday whilst people that live her get mauled and terrosised by them
 
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