The magazine of The UK Wolf Conservation Trust, published quarterly Issue 24 Summer 2005 Published by: The UK Wolf Conservation Trust Butlers Farm, Beenham, Reading RG7 5NT Tel & Fax: 0118 971 3330 e-mail: [email protected] www.ukwolf.org ditorial Editor Denise Taylor E Tel: 01788 832658 e-mail: [email protected] Editorial Team n preparation for the UKWCT Autumn seminar one of our regular contributors, Julia Bohanna,Andrew Matthews, Kirsty Peake, has written about her trip to the Yellowstone National Park in February Gwynne Power, Sue Sefscik Ithis year. Her article gives us a good introduction to George Bumann, one of the Contributors to this issue: speakers at the seminar, who was with Kirsty’s party during the trip. Keeping with the Pat Adams, Chris Darimont, Chris Genovali, Yellowstone theme, wolf biologist Doug Smith’s book, Decade of the Wolf, was Kieran Hickey, Bill Lynn, Faisal Moola, Paul Paquet, published in April and covers the last ten years in Yellowstone. To order your copy see Kirsty Peake. the back inside cover of this issue. Copies will also be available at the seminar. I am delighted to announce the start of a new syndicated column, Ethos,by Senior Design and Artwork: Phil Dee Tel:01788 546565 Ethics Advisor Bill Lynn on ethics and wildlife. This will be a regular feature, and is designed to make us stop and think about our attitudes and actions towards others, Patrons and especially towards a species that provokes strong emotions. We invite you to Desmond Morris reflect on the more philosophical, but nevertheless fundamental, aspects of wolf Erich Klinghammer conservation, and to let us have your comments and views. Christoph Promberger Paul Paquet is one of the longest serving wolf biologists in the world, and has given us permission to reprint an article that was recently published on the Raincoast Wolves in The UK Wolf Conservation Trust Directors Nigel Bulmer British Columbia, Canada. Paul has written extensively on wolf biology and Charles Hicks conservation and has appeared in numerous wildlife documentaries on wolves. Tsa Palmer Closer to home, Kieran Hickey, from the National University of Ireland, has researched Denise Taylor the history of wolves in Ireland and gives us a fascinating insight into what life was like when wolves roamed our landscape. This ties in very nicely with the Lost Beasts of The UK Wolf Conservation Trust is a company Britain seminar which is being developed by colleagues at the UKWCT and which will limited by guarantee. Registered in England & have its debut at the Inspired by Nature Festival at Arley Hall in Cheshire on 8th Wales. Company No. 3686061 and 9th October. The wolves (of course) will be at the festival and there will be an opportunity to take part in the creation of a lifescale European bison willow sculpture. The opinions expressed in this magazine are not If you are interested in attending this fun event which celebrates nature through the necessarily those of the publishers or The UK Wolf arts, then check the website at www.education4conservation.org for further details and Conservation Trust. booking information. All rights reserved through the world. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English or other languages, A CALL FOR HELP prohibited. This work may not be photocopied or otherwise Education is the foundation of all our work at the UK Wolf Conservation Trust. We are reproduced within the terms of any license granted by the now trying to raise sponsorship and funding to develop our Education Programme on Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd or the Publishers Licensing a more formal basis. We would like to develop a range of education and teaching Society Ltd. materials, and reach out to community and other groups throughout the UK and Europe. If you can help with fundraising or you know of any businesses in your area who you think might sponsor this project, then please contact us. Aims of The UK Wolf Conservation Trust AUTUMN SEMINAR Sunday 23rd October 2005 ● To enhance the conservation, scientific knowledge Speakers include George Bumann from the Yellowstone Association Institute and public awareness of the environment. and Andy Fisher, Head of the Wildlife Crime Unit at the Metropolitan Police Service. ● To stimulate greater interest in Wolves, their Book now to avoid disappointment. Website: www.ukwolf.org, email: food, their habitat and their behaviour. [email protected] or telephone 0118 917 3330. ● To provide opportunities for both ethological research and for people to interact with Wolves. ● To improve the chances of survival of European Wolves in the wild. ● To set up an education programme for schools, conservationists and dog trainers. Cover price: £3.00 Subscription rates (incl P&P): FRONT COVER PICTURE CREDIT: UKWCT United Kingdom: £14.00 (non-members); £12.00 (UKWCT members). Rest of world: £16.00 (non-members); WolfPrint is printed on re-cycled paper. Printed by Colorco. Coventry (024) 7671 1005 £14.00 (UKWCT members). Inside this issue... Ethos - Wolves Are Indicators of 4 Wolves of the World 14 Moral Health 7 Last of the best 16 New Kids on the Block 109 The History of Wolves in Ireland 19 Book review 4 EUROPE "Several clues suggest that it is The director of the refuge near was found to have rabies, the wolf that is actually targeted Mafra, 40km north-west of authorities said. by these irresponsible acts," Lisbon, said efforts were being The attacks on 14 people took France France Nature Environment, the made to evacuate the Iberian place from Thursday through to France's Bardot demands Alpine Research Centre on wolves, a species facing extinction Saturday in villages in the EU action on wolf cull Vertebrates, the Bird Protection in Portugal, to a zoo in the Zaporizhia region, a statement BRUSSELS, June 21 (Reuters) - League and the Departmental Portuguese capital. from the Emergency Situations French actress turned animal Life and Nature Union said "We were alarmed because the Ministry said. rights activist Brigitte Bardot has on Friday. wind changed direction and the A car struck and killed one of urged the European Union to Four wolves have been found fire, which seemed contained, the wolves, and authorities who take legal action against France poisoned over the past few years, went out of control," Francisco examined the animal determined for authorising the killing of they noted. Petruki said. it had rabies, the ministry said. six wolves. The remains of the eagles, Once found across the Bardot, a star of the cinema in predators that feed off small country, environmentalists Source: the 1950s and 1960s, wrote to mammals and snakes, were estimate there are now only 300 http://news.scotsman.com/latest. EU Environment Commissioner discovered in different parts Iberian wolves in the wild in cfm?id=1742012005 Stavros Dimas on Monday, saying of the Alps in February, April Portugal, mostly in the north. France had broken EU and June. The wolf refuge provides 17 conservation rules. Poisons are not limited to the hectares of secluded woodland NORTH AMERICA "It's totally unacceptable that species they are laid out for, but for the Iberian wolf and was set France puts in danger a instead contaminate different up in 1989, one year after the United States protected species," she wrote. parts of the food chain, the government passed legislation to Shepherd finds wolf remedy The wolf population was nearly environmentalists said, adding protect the animal. in European guard dogs wiped out in France and only that it appeared the toxins used Firefighters were aided by four RUDYARD - At least one local started to reappear in 1992. The were strychnine and cyanide. water-dropping aircraft and 70 shepherd found his answer to authorities estimate there are 55 Anybody found guilty of vehicles in their battle against the heavy wolf losses in a big, white wolves in France compared to poisoning wildlife risked six heat-fueled blaze. and friendly dog breed that likes 2,000 in Spain and 700 in Italy. months in prison and fines of up The blaze had already sheep and people but not the Bardot also wrote to French to 9,000 euros, the associations destroyed dozens of acres of gray wolf. Ecology Minister Nelly Olin to said, calling for "rigorous brush and eucalyptus forest in a Following up on a suggestion urge her to reverse the decision. investigations" to find those region that was badly affected from a Central Michigan French farmers say wolves responsible. by a wave of wildfires which University biologist, shepherd killed 2,808 sheep in 2002 swept Portugal in 2003, killing Eric Wallis says his lamb losses compared to 192 sheep in Source: 20 people and burning a record plummeted since he started using 1994. Bardot said farmers could http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmp amount of land. Pyrenees guard dogs with his use guard dogs to protect l=story&u=/afp/20050805/sc_afp/ Civil protection officials said three flocks. A European breed their flocks. franceenvironment_0508051412 most of mainland Portugal, which specially developed for its 24 is facing its worst drought in adaptability with livestock and Source: decades, suffered from a high risk intolerance of other canines, Reuters Portugal of wildfires on Monday because Wallis' Pyrenees have done what http://www.alertnet.org/thenews Raging fire puts Iberian of soaring temperatures and low nothing else could in protecting /newsdesk/L21492349.htm wolves at risk air humidity levels. - Sapa-AFP his 700 animals. Lisbon - More than 300 Now in his fifth year of what Eagles, other animals being firefighters recently battled a Source: started as an experiment, Wallis poisoned in French Alps large wildfire in central Portugal http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?se swears by the big white dogs as PARIS (AFP) - Three golden which forced the closure of a t_id=14&click_id=143&art_id=q guards for his three flocks.