siadwell Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 (edited) A report that states reintroducing the "native" wolf back to Scotland to cut down on deer population would boost the invironment. What do you think? Good or bad?...Wolves Edited January 31, 2007 by siadwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
border collie Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 Seems goods on the face of it but when they have eaten the deer down to an acceptable level, will they start on the game birds and need culling/controlling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siadwell Posted January 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 Seems goods on the face of it but when they have eaten the deer down to an acceptable level, will they start on the game birds and need culling/controlling? But, if the deer are reproducing at a high rate then nature would balance it out, as the wolves were originally native to Scotland, and drove out by man... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingrid Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 This has been talked about for years now http://www.wolftrust.org.uk/ The main argument was the lack of a natural barrier to keep them in the highlands which could result in wolves moving south across the whole of the UK. Would I like to see it happen................definately Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sproggie14 Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 I think it's good. The wolf numbers would be dependent on deer numbers and vice versa so it should balance out nicely as long as man backs off and lets them get on with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one.eyed.dog Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 Do you think people might steal them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel n Hardy Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 Do you think people might steal them? I think the farmers would shoot them as there are lots of sheep in scotland now, unlike when the wolves were driven to exctinction. Also the scumbags who are involved with illegal dog fighting/badger baiting would have a new animal to torment and torture. Personally I would love to see them return, there was talk of them being released onto an island where they couldnt get off and spread to the rest of scotland/england, but that is not really feasable, there are none big enough with the right terrain and enough 'prey' animals to sustain even a small pack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LurcherGirl Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 About 20 years ago, the lynx was reintroduced in the Swiss forests. There were all sorts of fear about what they would do, how dangerous they would be. It turned out that they are hardly ever seen and they are no trouble at all. If a sheep is killed by them, the farmer just gets reimbursed by the government for it. I am all for reintroducing natural preditors again. Vera Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 I'm not sure that reimbursement would satisfy farmers. The value of a sheep is often amazingly low, but the farmers are attached to them and object vigorously to them being upset or hurt. Raises all sorts of questions about the rights and duties of land ownership, that. There does seem to be a terrible hysteria about wild animals - did anyone see that news story about the fox that trotted into a London shop, and caused panic and all the customers rushed out screaming. Very odd behaviour (fox and customers!) Still, I agree it would be an amazing thing, to have a chance of seeing a wolf in the woods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
border collie Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 I would love to see it done as long as the wolves didn't think the caperthingummybob was easier prey than deer which would lead to the facepulling of the shooting lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trallwm farm Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 The problem is that there is not enough space being offered. It wont be long before there are problems or the wolves bugger off. I can see enterprising farmers finding lots of thier sheep being eaten by Wolves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockergirl Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 (edited) I think there's always an element of 'not in my back yard' when people are talking about this. Yes the thought of having wolves roaming the highlands of Scotland is lovely but let's face it, how many of us who say it's lovely actually live there?? Much as I love wolves and fully support conservation measures (I regularly donate to a couple of wolf charities) I think it is too easy to say 'yes let's bring them back' when it's not in your backyard. Relative to the rest of the UK the Highlands of Scotland are a large, fairly empty area but they are not on the same scale as something like Yellowstone, the steppes or the Canadian tundra where wolves are found in the wild. Even the largest estates still have crofts on them and the majority of crofters are sheep farmers. Yellowstone is a national park and in national parks in the US there is no human habitation, but the same is not true in the Highlands. I think it should be up to the local people whether or not they support such an initiative, they are the ones who have to live with it day in day out whereas the rest of us can just look at nice pictures and maybe go on the odd holiday up north once every few years to ooh and aah at seeing wolf tracks on the ground. It has been a very long time since wolves were found in the UK and much has changed since then. And as for the shooting fraternity pulling faces at wolves eating capercaillie - well I'm sure they would but not because they shoot these birds, but because they are extremely rare and are protected. Edited February 11, 2007 by cockergirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owl Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 There are enough feral exotics knocking around in the wild in Britain anyway, and wolves are less of a bother than most. What exactly makes people so sure that there aren't a few living quietly here already? Nuf said. The Highlands may not be on the scale of Yellowstone, but a few wolves can fade away into the landscape fairly easily, and if there is enough game they are likely to keep well away from habitations. The main problem would be not the wolves themselves but the *unprintable* mad gunslingers who charge over the landscape in 4wds at all hours armed to the teeth every time there is word of some creature being seen whose head might look nice on their wall. We've had them here every time a feral puma turns up, and now the farmers just keep quiet as these guys are more trouble than the animals. The cost of protecting any reintroduced wolves in Scotland could be prohibitive. Look at the problems there have been with protecting golden and white-tailed eagles and ospreys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonniebird Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 It would just give the @rseholes that hunt foxes etc something else to hunt. Thats my fear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boosboss Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 It would just give the @rseholes that hunt foxes etc something else to hunt. Thats my fear But wouldn't the same rules apply, regardless of the species? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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