There is a campaign to re-introduce wild wolves into Scotland to control the exploding deer population?

Question

Is this a good idea?

Answer 1

exploding deer sound a bit messy

Answer 2

This has been done in some areas in the US. Some people love it, some nearby ranchers hate it, even though the programs will reimburse livestock owners for any loss due to wolves, which seems reasonable to me.
In areas where wolves have been re-introduced, they do attract tourists.
Wolves are generally very shy of humans, and I don't know of any wolf attacks on humans. However, there have been attacks by captive bred wolf-dog hybrids; in captivity. I don't think the US has enough wild wolves to result in any wild bred wolf hybrids, and I don't know how likely this would be. They say that a hybrid is more likely to be aggressive to humans than either a dog or a wolf, because it combines the dog's lack of fear of humans with the wolf's wild nature.
Coyote-dog hybrids are common in the wild near human habitations. They just live as coyotes.
In the US it is commonly believed that wild wolves do not attack humans at all; I know the folklore is different in Europe. Coyote attacks on humans are known, though most coyotes don't seem to. And wildlife professionals will shoot and kill a predator that makes an unprovoked attack on humans; so the dangerous ones are not allowed to continue. (A mother defending her cubs, or an animal that mistakes a camouflaged hunter for a wild turkey, is not considered aggressive.)
Well, I like the idea in the US, but I don't know enough about Scotland to evaluate the idea there.

Answer 3

The reintroduction of a top predator in the highland ecosystem is sound and in my opinion desirable. The deer population is so high that hunting is not keeping it in check, they are degrading the habitat and the lack of predation of the weaker members of the heard is allowing sub prime animals to live to breeding age.

In adition a free living wolf population would generate a lot of tourist revenue in the highlands, an area that traditionally has few jobs and a high number f people living on low incomes.

it would be ideal in the long term to also reintroduce bears, lynx and beavers as well to allow the ecosysten to return to a more 'natural' and comlex state.

Answer 4

Sounds like a great idea to me. How are they going to get the wild wolves there? Do we have to buy them from abroad or something, or will they just kidnap some? I will be able to go to scotland now to do my dancing :0)

Answer 5

I think it's a great idea. We should re-introduce bears etc as well. Scotland should return to the way it was in the past.

Answer 6

Your kidding?! That has got to be the stupidest idea since they introduced myxomatosis to control rabbits! There are many excellent huntsmen in Scotland who keep the deer population under control and cull selectively to keep the breed quality high. The deer population is not exploding and to introduce wolves would cause major problems to people, their livestock and pets.

Answer 7

It is going to be controlled and monitored and I think it is a good idea, yes. I think that as the areas where this will take place have not changed since we destroyed the native wolf population, why not?

Maybe we should sort out our grey squirrel problem; hey America, doo you want your grey squirrels back so that we can safely hve our native reds in he UK.

Answer 8

When man gets involved with nature, things always go wrong. I wonder what will go wrong with this idea.

If animals die out in certain places, man shouldn't introduce that species back to that region.

Do wolves chase domestic dogs and cats?, if so, what will happen to our pets I wonder.

Answer 9

Well, exploding deer sound like a health hazard, so I suppose it calls for drastic action.

... what causes them to explode, is it like SHC?

Answer 10

its a great idea they were originally there along with bears long before us! if they are no longer there because of us we have a responsibility to re-introduce them.