General / Off-Topic The Wolf

[Chris Simon]

Google it.

https://www.radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/around-40-kids-a-day-go-missing-in-the-czech-republic

Its 140,000 per year in the UK which has 6 times the population of the Czech Republic IIRC. These are kids reported missing to the cops the majority turn up again.

But that's a highly misleading statistic.
99% of those children are kids lost in a mall or "kidnapped" by one of the divorced parents. Absolutely miniscule number of them end up dead and NONE dead by a wild animal. If something kills a child it's a dog or a horse almost every time.

But it doesn't matter. My original point simply was that wolves CAN live alongside the human civilization without any issues.

 

[moorison]

..., even then people climbing into the animal enclosure and getting killed is really common.

Which is tragic, but my sympathy for people acting ignorant only goes so far.
The correct behaviour towards wildlife is certainly something that should be (if it isn't already) taught in rural areas (and I am not talking about home-schooling).

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

But that's a highly misleading statistic.
99% of those children are kids lost in a mall or "kidnapped" by one of the divorced parents. Absolutely miniscule number of them end up dead and NONE dead by a wild animal. If something kills a child it's a dog or a horse almost every time.

But it doesn't matter. My original point simply was that wolves CAN live alongside the human civilization without any issues.

Yeah they can. But I can't see it in england. Not enough wild space for them. Scotland would be a better bet for them.

I think there is more chance of getting the lynx reintroduced then wolves in the UK.

 

[Chris Simon]

Yeah they can. But I can't see it in england. Not enough wild space for them. Scotland would be a better bet for them.

I think there is more chance of getting the lynx reintroduced then wolves in the UK.

Yeah, that's why I didn't mention the UK. I don't think they could coexist, here. Too many humans and sheep, here.
Plus they really need a big territory. at least in tens of square miles and we don't really have enough unused space.

 

[Stigbob]

But that's a highly misleading statistic.
99% of those children are kids lost in a mall or "kidnapped" by one of the divorced parents. Absolutely miniscule number of them end up dead and NONE dead by a wild animal. If something kills a child it's a dog or a horse almost every time.

But it doesn't matter. My original point simply was that wolves CAN live alongside the human civilization without any issues.

Cattle can be lethal, especially for dog walkers.

Its not a misleading statistic at all, the only people who track numbers of kids reported missing are the cops and its self evident most will turn up again afterwards. Which is why I use phrases like go missing or reported missing rather than vanish into thin air.

 

[Jezzah]

Wolves in North America have never been a threat to humans, despite the fact that we have quite a lot of them. Bears, on the other hand, often put people on the menu.

I was stationed in Canada 10 years ago at an army training ground in Alberta. The training ground was about 3 miles from my house so I cycled mostly unless it was really bad weather. One night I was cycling home and got chased by a pack of probably 7 or 8 wolves for nearly half a mile, I have never ever cycled so fast, at the time I was a heavy smoker but it's amazing how adrenaline will push you when it has to. To this day I cannot tell you how scared I was especially as the road was in bad condition and if I had fell I don't know if I'd be alive now.

They might be noble creatures or whatever but damn i was lucky, didn't cycle there ever again and put the kids bike in the loft.

 

[Stigbob]

Which is tragic, but my sympathy for people acting ignorant only goes so far.
The correct behaviour towards wildlife is certainly something that should be (if it isn't already) taught in rural areas (and I am not talking about home-schooling).

Clambering into the lion enclosure is almost always a mental health issue. Ignorance is something else like camping in bear country and leaving food lying around.

 

[Stigbob]

I was stationed in Canada 10 years ago at an army training ground in Alberta. The training ground was about 3 miles from my house so I cycled mostly unless it was really bad weather. One night I was cycling home and got chased by a pack of probably 7 or 8 wolves for nearly half a mile, I have never ever cycled so fast, at the time I was a heavy smoker but it's amazing how adrenaline will push you when it has to. To this day I cannot tell you how scared I was especially as the road was in bad condition and if I had fell I don't know if I'd be alive now.

They might be noble creatures or whatever but damn i was lucky, didn't cycle there ever again and put the kids bike in the loft.

Bikes are a great way to see wildlife as they don't always recognize you as a human, same as being on horseback. Get off to grab your camera and they are away. (I would not have tested that theory in your situation).

I used to get flanked home by a gliding barn owl every night working late shifts, I think it was after headlight startled rodents.

 

[Patrick_68000]

From Wikipedia :

The country with the most extensive historical records is France, where nearly 7,600 fatal attacks were documented from 1200 to 1920. In modern times, they occur most often in India and neighboring countries. There are few historical records or modern cases of wolf attacks in North America. In the half-century up to 2002, there were eight fatal attacks in Europe and Russia, three in North America, and more than 200 in south Asia.

I did not think !

I wonder if I continue to do my sport in the forest now !

 

[Patrick_68000]

And 8000 deaths 800 years is nothing.

10 per year anyway.

With the luck that I have, I wouldn’t be surprised if a wolf wanted to taste me.

 

[moorison]

Clambering into the lion enclosure is almost always a mental health issue. Ignorance is something else like camping in bear country and leaving food lying around.

You are probably right, my previous statement is somewhat ignorant itself.

 

[Patrick_68000]

Probably, cattle have a harder time defending than we do.

Although a lonely man without a weapon against a wolf would be similar to cattle, I believe.

 

[EISENHORN01]

If push came to shove and we had to depopulate Belgium to fit the wolves in I could run with that.

 

[Patrick_68000]

I was stationed in Canada 10 years ago at an army training ground in Alberta. The training ground was about 3 miles from my house so I cycled mostly unless it was really bad weather. One night I was cycling home and got chased by a pack of probably 7 or 8 wolves for nearly half a mile, I have never ever cycled so fast, at the time I was a heavy smoker but it's amazing how adrenaline will push you when it has to. To this day I cannot tell you how scared I was especially as the road was in bad condition and if I had fell I don't know if I'd be alive now.

They might be noble creatures or whatever but damn i was lucky, didn't cycle there ever again and put the kids bike in the loft.

A terrifying story here.

I can imagine your fear.

 

[EISENHORN01]

I was stationed in Canada 10 years ago at an army training ground in Alberta. The training ground was about 3 miles from my house so I cycled mostly unless it was really bad weather. One night I was cycling home and got chased by a pack of probably 7 or 8 wolves for nearly half a mile, I have never ever cycled so fast, at the time I was a heavy smoker but it's amazing how adrenaline will push you when it has to. To this day I cannot tell you how scared I was especially as the road was in bad condition and if I had fell I don't know if I'd be alive now.

They might be noble creatures or whatever but damn i was lucky, didn't cycle there ever again and put the kids bike in the loft.

Damn it I wish we had those wolves for our cyclists

 

[Jezzah]

A terrifying story here.

I can imagine your fear.

I am a manly sort of bloke and I've seen some horrible stuff in my time in the forces but that experience was the only one to properly bring me to tears. I got to our house and that key couldn't turn fast enough. I remember falling to my knees on the stairs and sobbing. I figured out afterward that it was mainly because I had this experience while I was on my own with no one to help. Other stuff was always with other people and we pulled ourselves through.

The thought of being ripped to pieces on the side of a road by wolves is right up there with my fear of deep water (sharks) or being buried alive.

 

[Patrick_68000]

Damn it I wish we had those wolves for our cyclists

A wolf as a coach.

This is an excellent conversion for this animal.

 

[Patrick_68000]

I am a manly sort of bloke and I've seen some horrible stuff in my time in the forces but that experience was the only one to properly bring me to tears. I got to our house and that key couldn't turn fast enough. I remember falling to my knees on the stairs and sobbing. I figured out afterward that it was mainly because I had this experience while I was on my own with no one to help. Other stuff was always with other people and we pulled ourselves through.

The thought of being ripped to pieces on the side of a road by wolves is right up there with my fear of deep water (sharks) or being buried alive.

I feel the same things.

Alone and disarmed in front of wild animals.

Although, recently a man killed a young cougar with his bare hands in the United States.

 

[Stigbob]

I am a manly sort of bloke and I've seen some horrible stuff in my time in the forces but that experience was the only one to properly bring me to tears. I got to our house and that key couldn't turn fast enough. I remember falling to my knees on the stairs and sobbing. I figured out afterward that it was mainly because I had this experience while I was on my own with no one to help. Other stuff was always with other people and we pulled ourselves through.

The thought of being ripped to pieces on the side of a road by wolves is right up there with my fear of deep water (sharks) or being buried alive.

Fear of being eaten alive is an absolutely primal thing.

 

[Jezzah]

Fear of being eaten alive is an absolutely primal thing.

I absolutely treasure time in my own company without anyone around but yes you are right for sure.