Vad händer när vargreviren i mellansverige blir ohanterbara? Vad händer när älgen inte räcker till? (Kan komma att hända kanske är rätt ordval)
Vargen är ju som bekant inte välkommen i renområden.
Valerius Geist, Professor Emeritus of Environmental Science, The University of
Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada:
These are the 7 stages leading to an attack on people by wolves.
1) Within the packs territory prey is becoming scarce not only due to
increased predation on naïve prey animals, but also by the prey evacuating
home ranges en mass, leading to a virtual absence of prey. OR Wolves
increasingly visit garbage dumps at night. We observed the former in
summer and fall 1999. Deer left the meadow systems occupied by wolves
and entered boldly into suburbs and farm, causing – for the first time –
much damage to gardens, sleeping at night close to barns and houses,
which they had not done in the previous four years. The wintering grounds
of trumpeter swans, Canada geese and flocks of several species of ducks
were vacated. The virtual absence of wildlife in the landscape was
striking.
2) Wolves in search of food began to approach human habitations – at night!
Their presence was anounced by frequent and loud barking of farm dogs.
A pack of sheep-guarding dogs raced out each eveining to confront the
wolf pack, resulting in extended barking duels at night. The wolves were
heard howling even during the day.
3) The wolves appear in daylight and at some distance observe people doing
their daily chores. Wolves excel at learning by close, steady
observationv[v]. They approach buildings during daylight.
4) Small bodied livestock and pets are attacked close to buildings even
during the day. The wolves act distinctly bolder in their actions. They
preferentially pick on dogs and follow these right up to the verandas.
People out with dogs find themselves defending their dogs against a wolf
or several wolves. Such attacks are still hesitant and people save some
dogs. At this stage wolves do not focus on humans, but attack pets and
some livestock with determination. However, they may threaten humans
with teethe exposed and growling when these are defending dogs, or show
up close to a female dog in heat, or close to a kill or carryon defended by
wolves. The wolves are still establishing territory.
5) The wolves explore large livestock, leading to docked tails, slit ears and
hocks. Livestock may bolt through fences running for the safety of barns.
The first seriously wounded cattle are found; they tend to have sever
injuries to the udders, groin and sexual organs and need to be put down.
The actions of wolves become more brazen and cattle or horses may be
killed close to houses and barns where the cattle or horses were trying to
find refuge. Wolves may follow riders and surround them. They may
mount verandas and look into windows.
6) Wolves turn their attention to people and approach such closely, initially
merely examining them closely for several minutes on end. This is a
switch from establishing territory to targeting people as prey. The wolves
may make hesitant, almost playful attacks biting and tearing clothing,
nipping at limbs and torso. They withdraw when confronted. They defend
kills by moving towards people and growling and barking at them from
10-20 paces away.
7) Wolves attack people. These initial attacks are clumsy, as the wolves have
not yet learned how to take down efficiently the new prey. Persons
attacked can often escape because of the clumsiness of the attacks. A
mature, courageous man may beat off or strangulate an attacking wolf.
However, against a wolf pack there is no defense and even two able and
armed men may be killed. Wolves as pack hunters are so capable a
predator, that they may take down black bears, even grizzly bearsvi[vi].
Wolves may defend kills.
Rätt intressant läsning.
http://rliv.com/wolf/GeistWhenDangerous.pdf
