You’ll soon read within the Western Producer, and on its website, a story about wolves and data on predation of cattle in southwestern Alberta. That’s my neck of the woods, but I’ve never seen a wolf in the wild. That’s because I’m not often out in the wild. Not often enough, anyway.
Wolves tend to generate strong feelings in people. Some see them as romantic, independent creatures whose pack culture resembles that of human families. Some see them as marauders who kill livestock and affect ranchers’ livelihoods. And there are volumes in between those two bookends.
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In her 2005 book, Wolf: Legend, Enemy, Icon, author Rebecca Grambo reflects on those feelings.“Wolves through countless generations simply have done what wolves do — hunt and raise families. But the way humans viewed wolves changed as cultural shifts distorted the lens of perception,” wrote Grambo.
She talks about early humans’ reverance for wolves, which was followed by their fear and hate of wolves that threatened sheep flocks. Then came the demonization of wolves, in fairytale and folklore.
That was followed by rediscovery of humans’ connection with the natural world, and the wolf’s place within that world.
“The wolf became an icon of the wild, its howl representing a cry for preservation and conservation,” Grambo wrote.
Scientists recently found that wolf predation of cattle in southwestern Alberta may have been previously underestimated. Better data collection made possible by GPS assisted in the findings and if funding comes through, researchers may continue their work to collect more data. Good decisions about wolf populations are going to depend on good information.
Ranchers who lose livestock to wolves likely have no notions of romance associated with canis lupus. Michael Roberts, who manages the 54,000 acre Waldron Grazing Co-operative that is prime wolf habitat, has never seen a wolf in person but he has seen the damage they’ve done. It isn’t pretty.
Roberts sees wolf predation as an age-old problem that ranchers and researchers are now relearning.
Wolves were rare in this region in the 1950s and 1960s due to rabies control efforts. Now they are back in larger numbers and cattle are on their list of prey.
In her book, Grambo acknowledges the conflict and the future challenge of wolf management.
“Although having a positive image of wolves may make it easier for people to accept their presence, we must understand the true nature of the wolf when we make decisions on how to manage wolf populations.
“In considering this crucial task, it is important that any decisions are based on science, not emotion.”
