WOLFThe UK Wolf Conservation Trust PRINTIssue 62 | Autum/Winter 2017 Africa’s Out in Arctic Golden Wolf The Cold Encounter A shimmering new Latvia’s wolves and lynx Meeting a wild wolf species emerges struggle for survival NEWS n EVENTS n RESEARCH n MEDIA AND ARTS Issue 62 | Autumn/Winter 2017 Published by The UK Wolf Conservation Trust, Butlers Farm, Beenham, Reading, RG7 5NT. Tel: 0118 971 3330, email: [email protected], website: www.ukwct.org Editor’s Letter Julia and Nuka Editor Julia Bohanna. Tel: 0118 971 3330 Email: [email protected] olf Print is blowing hot and from the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Assistant Editor Francesca Macilroy cold this issue, or at least Programme’s (EWCP) report on the profiling the ever-adaptable beautiful Ethiopian wolf. As species Editorial Team W Wendy Brooker, Mike Collins, Nikki Davies, Sue Fine, wolf across the world, from lupines are lost every single day, it’s reassuring Pete Haswell, Jessica Jacobs, Cammie Kavanagh, Lynn in shimmering desert to those who to see the determination of the EWCP Kent, Pete Morgan-Lucas, Rachel Mortimer, Lara Palmer, Johnny Palmer, Tsa Palmer, Denise Taylor survive in bone freezing chill. The to ensure that this little flame-haired extremes of climate that facilitated African marvel never fades away. Patrons Martin ‘Wolfie’ Adams, David Clement-Davies, hurricanes and earthquakes this We would urge you to read the Cornelia ‘Neil’ Hutt, Desmond Morris, Marco Musiani, year should always be a reminder report online in its entirety. One of Michelle Paver that however sophisticated and the problems facing the Ethiopian The UK Wolf Conservation Trust Directors technologically advanced the world wolf is sarcoptic mange but it’s also a Nigel Bulmer, Charles Hicks, Sue Hull, Tsa Palmer grows, we are still slaves to the problem for Yellowstone’s wolves. In Associate Directors mercurial nature of the weather this issue we have a fascinating article Lara Palmer, Johnny Palmer and longer term, the vagaries of discussing heat loss in grey wolves Specialist Advisors Alistair Bath, Garry Marvin, Kirsty Peake, Claudio climate. Wild animals are particularly suffering from the disease. Sillero, Denise Taylor vulnerable of course and the wolf The UK Wolf Conservation Trust is a company only has its body and intelligence We have also covered colder climes, limited by guarantee. Registered in England and for protection. From fur to their with articles on the wolf situation in Wales. Company No. 3686061. feet, a wolf’s biology adapts to the Finland and Latvia, plus a short non- The opinions expressed in this magazine are not temperature and geography of their fiction story from Alaskan author Seth necessarily those of the publishers or The UK Wolf Conservation Trust. environment in a fascinating way. Kantner. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English or other languages, is One particular species is certainly ‘hot’ Closer to home, our update on the prohibited. The work may not be photocopied or otherwise reproduced within the terms of any licence granted by the right now and we are very pleased Trust’s Arctics is a really interesting Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd or the Publishers Licensing Society Ltd. to be able to support a new project read. Of course, our trio will never aimed at studying Morocco’s golden have to cope with the type of wolf. This is very significant news in temperatures that make the Arctic AIMS OF THE UK WOLF CONSERVATION TRUST terms of conservation. Once thought so tough, but their bodies still have to be a jackal, this appropriately named telltale signs of how this large and · To increase public awareness and knowledge of treasure has now been reclassified as hardy species is built to adapt the wild wolves and their place in the ecosystem. · To provide opportunities for ethological and other a wolf. The scientific project we are cold. There is also lots of news from research that may improve the lives of wolves both supporting aims to investigate any the Trust, which never stands still. Our in captivity and in the wild. · To provide wolf-related education programmes for threats or conflicts this ‘new’ wolf may volunteers and staff work incredibly young people and adults. face and invest in the education needed hard, with the love of lupines acting · To raise money to help fund wolf-related conservation projects around the world. throughout the local community – a as a powerfully motivating force for ‘golden’ opportunity to help it survive all of us. Download Wolf Print, including back issues, from and ultimately thrive. Exclusive to Wolf www.ukwolf.org Print, you can read more about this We at the Trust would like to wish you Design and artwork by BambooHouse Publishing: www.bamboohouse.co.uk exciting development in depth on pages a wonderful Christmas and sparkling Tel: 01225 331023 14-17. We will continue to update you New Year. Printed by: Pensord, NP12 2YA, www.pensord.co.uk as the project progresses. on FSC paper from sustainable forest sources. This magazine is fully recyclable. By recycling magazines you We also have a little piece on another can help to reduce waste and add to the millions of tonnes of paper already recycled every year by the UK paper industry. species from a hot clime – an extract Julia Bohanna, Editor You can recycle paper through your home recycling collection scheme or at your local recycling centre. Visit www.recyclenow. com and enter your postcode to find your nearest site. 14 Contents REGULARS Editor’s Letter 2 Wolves of the World 26 Lupine news worldwide Merchandise 36 New and exclusive gifts and souvenirs Making Tracks 31 Book reviews and interviews 20 NEWS FROM THE TRUST Trust News 6 News and Events Director’s Letter 4 Update on the Trust’s Wolves 9 FEATURES Wolves of The Atlas 14 Studying Africa’s hidden wolf in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains Wolf Eyes 18 24 An extract taken from Seth Kanther’s Book ‘Swallowed by The Great Land’ Wolf and Lynx Situation in Latvia 20 Living on The Edge 23 Metapopulation Management to The Rescue The Wolf Situation in Finland 24 Cold Country; Hot Topic! “Rainbow” Wolves Show Heat Loss From Mange 30 Stuck For Christmas Gifts This Year? 38 Why not try one of our gift memberships? 30 EVENTS All the upcoming events and activities 39 Wolf Print Autum/Winter 2017 | 3 Conservation – For Richer for Poorer DIRECTOR’S LETTER Throughout Europe the populations of wolf, bear, beaver, grey seals, deer, elk and ibex are doing well, according to a recent report from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). Together with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), ZSL have assessed the state of the world’s mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish in The Living Planet Report 2016. he report also provides evidence have also increased in recent years. In the that while wildlife populations are tropics, large wild animals are increasingly Tdoing badly in poor countries, they confined to national parks and nature are generally thriving in richer countries. reserves. In Europe and North America Populations of elephants, rhinos, giraffes, even big animals are starting to recolonise lions and many antelopes are falling, but areas heavily populated by people. Foxes lynx numbers in Europe have quadrupled have moved into British towns and a wolf over the past 50 years. In North Africa, has been filmed crossing a busy road in coyotes, wolves, bears and even cougars the Netherlands. Wolves are within 40 are growing in numbers and expanding miles of Paris. their range and edging into the suburbs. In terms of habitats a similar contrast The impression that prosperity generally is seen. Rich countries are steadily helps wildlife is confirmed by the fact expanding their forests while poor that the welfare of wild animals in countries are still chopping them down. middle-income countries generally falls All of Europe is getting increasingly between ‘thriving’ and ‘doing badly’. thickly wooded from Scandinavia to Wildlife populations have in some cases the Mediterranean, as satellite images ceased falling and are beginning to show confirm. Britain has doubled its woodland signs of rising, such as with China’s giant cover in a century and is now as forested panda population. India’s tiger numbers as it was in the 1750s. 4 | Wolf Print Autumn/Winter 2017 Of course, poaching is a worldwide problem, whether for tusks, horns or meat. Although local people are Conservation – usually the poachers, it is often carried out to fuel a demanding overseas trade in medicine, skins and trophies. For Richer for Poorer Wealthy hunters will pay a great deal to participate in the very controversial ‘canned hunting’ trade, where ‘bagging a lion’ is made easy for them. Social media has fuelled the outrage at the practice, sharing photographs of smiling trophy hunters in khaki, strapped up with weapons, posing with their kills. In Africa in particular, some local poachers have been re-educated and re-trained to help and conserve the animals they once killed. Their knowledge as ex- poachers can be extremely valuable when dealing with current poaching. The transition from deforestation to reforestation generally seems to happen with wealth. Desperately poor people in the Congo rainforest, catching bushmeat for food, or for a sale for a pittance in a local market, pose a greater threat to monkeys and apes than tycoons on yachts in Monte Carlo. To make the point more fully why wealth and wildlife go hand in hand – we only have to go back to the Stone Age when a few hunter-gatherers armed with no more than bows and arrows wiped out the majority of the large mammal species.