Wolf Reintroductions

running_dog

running_dog

Honored Member
I'm posting this here rather than derail the guess the breed thread and because it seems to be something that a few of us might be interested in.

There has been ongoing unsuccessful discussion for years about reintroducing wolves into Scotland. However my dad is convinced he saw a wolf in the Scottish Highlands some years ago so I can't help wondering if they are already out there anyway.

I googled and found this youtube video which is supposed to have been taken in the vicinity of Inverness. I find it quite convincing - if it is really taken where the cameraman says. What do you think? Are they behaving like wild animals? They aren't huskies but are there other breeds of dog they might be?

I'm very open to the idea that there are animals in the UK that are not officially here though my own interest is focussed mostly on the possible existence of British black panthers - one of them is supposed to be living near me :cool:. Their hunting habits make them much less likely to conflict with agriculture than the wolves.

Also NOT in the UK but in southern Ireland which is not so very far away there seems to be some chance that a few wolves will be reintroduced to a national park. That would be super cool.

If anyone finds any more videos about wolf reintroductions or sightings of wolves where they shouldn't be please do post them on this thread I'd love to see them :)
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
Great idea Running Dog!:)(y)

The first video, not the clearest, would love to blow it up (using good software) but the dogs shown could well be wolves. Certainly they have the gait of a wolf. But it begs the question how did they get there? Could someone who owned a wolf or two, have released them. Maybe not being able to afford the upkeep, license fee etc.for keeping a 'wild' animal??? Or doing they're bit for the eco-system.

Loved the second video, out of touch, as I didn't know Ireland was considering re-introducing wolves into Wicklow. And the information about how to protect sheep from a wolf attack was very interesting. Same thing though, has happened in Wicklow National Park as in the Cairngorms, deer over grazing and literally starving to death in the Winter.

We do need to get the eco-systems in these places back to their natural balance.

I adore wolves, they're my power animal and I have a beautiful tattoo of a wolf on my ankle.

Are you referring to the "Beast of Bodmin" with the Black Panthers in Britain. Friends and I walked for miles across Bodmin hoping to catch at least a glimpse of them/it, to no avail though:(

I'll have a look around the web for more information. Unfortunately, due to the debacle with my ISP I appear to be no longer receiving the newsletters about Wolves.
 
running_dog

running_dog

Honored Member
MaryK said:
The first video, not the clearest, would love to blow it up (using good software) but the dogs shown could well be wolves. Certainly they have the gait of a wolf. But it begs the question how did they get there? Could someone who owned a wolf or two, have released them. Maybe not being able to afford the upkeep, license fee etc.for keeping a 'wild' animal??? Or doing they're bit for the eco-system.
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Interesting question that I don't know the answer to, it seems that there have been escapes in the past. Wolf behaviour (howling, sheep predation) mean that I find it impossible to believe that any native British wolves survived unnoticed.

MaryK said:
Are you referring to the "Beast of Bodmin" with the Black Panthers in Britain. Friends and I walked for miles across Bodmin hoping to catch at least a glimpse of them/it, to no avail though:(
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Not specifically that cat. I think that one has been too hyped now to discern fact from fiction - I mean if there is going to be a hoax or unrealistic jumping to conclusions it'll be on Bodmin moor. Unusually large black cats are sighted all over the UK. One of my friends saw one locally, then another friend possibly saw one in the same area, last year about half a mile from that location Zac chased a black creature and behaved very oddly afterwards so I'm optimistic one has a territory that includes that area.
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
True, that one has been around for as long as I can remember and then some. May be wrong, but didn't Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle base his Hounds of the Baskerville on that supposed black cat? Long, long time since I read the book as a child. May have been Exmoor just cannot recall the book well enough!:confused:

Saw a documentary a while back about sightings in Britain of 'big cat's, they sure were all over the U.K.

Wow, that's exciting to have one so close to where you live. Zac chasing a black creature and behaving oddly afterwards really does say a lot!

I'll have to google specifically for black cats in the U.K. same with wolves, as I keep getting all the news on American sightings, which is of course grand, but would love to get more on my own country!
 
running_dog

running_dog

Honored Member
MaryK said:
Googled Wolf Sighting in U.K. and found the usual sites about whether or not they should be re-introduced, but this one caught my eye.

http://monsterusa.blogspot.com.au/2007/05/do-werewolves-roam-woods-of-england.html

Werewolves roaming the woods. Had heard, when still living back home, about this but we don't get any such news here, apparently werewolves in the U.K. are not newsworthy:(
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I tend to avoid that side of things, again I feel there are too many hoaxes to get any kind of idea of truth without seeing something for oneself :rolleyes:
 
running_dog

running_dog

Honored Member
MaryK said:
I'll have to google specifically for black cats in the U.K. same with wolves, as I keep getting all the news on American sightings, which is of course grand, but would love to get more on my own country!
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I love looking at this website, big cat detective blogspot, but I admit it is mostly the hidden camera pictures of ordinary wildlife that I enjoy :cool:

This is another website that has a lot of background information that you might like. The big cat websites are mostly out of date but you can glean useful information like how to recognise relevant tracks, characteristics of kills etc. The key seems to be to understand the normal wildlife dynamic of an area and then you get a feel for when this is upset - possibly by the seasonal arrival of a cat.
 
Ripleygirl

Ripleygirl

Experienced Member
Had a quick look at some of the big cat detective vids and I agree they have some great ones of ordinary wildlife that has been captured...

Interesting thread, I will post more when I can as I have a bit more time now the last Bank Holiday till August has occured! Less 10 to 12 hour shift for a while now!
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
running_dog said:
I tend to avoid that side of things, again I feel there are too many hoaxes to get any kind of idea of truth without seeing something for oneself :rolleyes:
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I agree too many hoaxes, but like UFOs, I think some may be legit so check them out with a very open mind. I will say yes definitely IF I ever saw one myself. Other than that, open mind on the subject.
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
running_dog said:
I love looking at this website, big cat detective blogspot, but I admit it is mostly the hidden camera pictures of ordinary wildlife that I enjoy :cool:

This is another website that has a lot of background information that you might like. The big cat websites are mostly out of date but you can glean useful information like how to recognise relevant tracks, characteristics of kills etc. The key seems to be to understand the normal wildlife dynamic of an area and then you get a feel for when this is upset - possibly by the seasonal arrival of a cat.
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Thank you, have booked marked both threads. Took a quick look and will watch more later.

BTW now you've made me even more homesick, those Bluebells, the animals, Fireworks!!!!!!! Miss them so much!
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
Homesick is never far from the surface, especially since being in Adelaide. Which is hot, dry, humid, dusty, brown and so unlike home it's not funny!:eek:

Well I do like fireworks and LOL had a German Shepherd who ADORED fireworks. I even took her to a big fireworks event, music the whole lot and she LOVED it all. No fear, just a dirty look at someone who accidently stood on her tail! Had to buy her the fluorescent tubes and wrap them around her, she was black/gold, so she could be easily seen in the dark. She also adored thunder storms, took after me again on that, and always insisted we went outside to play during a storm. LOL they do say dogs take after their owners and Odette sure did!

But Zac's a normal dog, doesn't like them at all:)!!!!

Haven't been able to do anything re checking wolves, been sick, drank the tap water and ended up with gastro on steriods - never, never again - death by thirst would be a better option. Going to hunt for wolf stories tomorrow.
 
running_dog

running_dog

Honored Member
MaryK said:
But Zac's a normal dog, doesn't like them at all:)!!!!

Haven't been able to do anything re checking wolves, been sick, drank the tap water and ended up with gastro on steriods - never, never again - death by thirst would be a better option. Going to hunt for wolf stories tomorrow.
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Fireworks have got louder and louder, I am really sick of them.

Sorry you've been ill and glad you're better :).
 
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