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Is that really a thing? Coyotes are prolific in places where wolves have been eradicated. If your chihuahuadoodle goes for a walkabout, seems like he's more li

Is that really a thing? Coyotes are prolific in places where wolves have been eradicated. If your chihuahuadoodle goes for a walkabout, seems like he's more likely to become coyote food than wolf food.

borkt 7y ago
Definitely a thing in Alaska, wolves being pack animals makes it more of a danger as they can attack humans too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wolf_attacks_in_North_America https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wolf_attacks_in_North_...
- winkywooster 7y ago
  And compared to mountain lions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_cougar_attacks_in_North_America https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_cougar_attacks_i... Sure it happens, but it is extremely uncommon.
- grecy 7y ago
  The list you liked to has attacks in 2010, 2005, 1996, 1989... then 1943. Surely an event that only happen 4 times in more than 50 years is not worth mentioning. Also, I lived in the Yukon for 4 years, roamed all over YK and AK in the summers and winters, saw tons of wolves. Never heard of a single person ever having problems with them, it's simply not a thing.
  - wahern 7y ago
    Surely that's because the gray wolf was all but extinct in the contiguous United States by the mid 1900s. As the "Wolf attack" Wikipedia article says, "wolf attacks are rare because wolves are often subsequently killed, or even extirpated in reaction by human beings." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_attack https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_attack AFAIU, fear of humans is both a learned and instinctual behavior of large predators. The latter can take thousands of years to develop, but the former requires active management, such as hunting and killing. To the extent that learned element isn't there and wolf populations continue to encroach on settlements, I would expect increased incidents.[1] And that seems to be reflected in the data. Though, that's a pretty abstract argument. The risk still seems miniscule and inconsequential. OTOH, from a political perspective consequential is defined by public sentiment, not empirical data and calculated risk assessment. [1] A quick Google search suggests that wolf hunting has been legal and practiced in Alaska since 1994. Though, maybe it's always been legal, even after wolves became protected in the lower United States. EDIT: It seems wolf hunting never ceased in Alaska (https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=intensivemanagement.historicwolf https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=intensivemanageme...), though by the 1980s even land hunting (as oppose to aerial) required permitting, which suggests people could freely shoot wolves before then, and presumably did when people felt insecure--see conclusion #5 at the very end of the page.
  - borkt 7y ago
    I'm not saying its prevalent, just that it happens. FWIW I absolutely support the reintroduction of wolves
- cultus 7y ago
  There's far more moose attacks than wolf attacks. Being afraid of wolves as a human is completely irrational. It's one of the least threats you face in the backcountry.
  - borkt 7y ago
    Agreed, just wanted to make sure its clear that they aren't dogs, though heck - there are tons of dog maulings each year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States#Fatalities_in_2019 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_t...
notatoad 7y ago
It's mostly not a thing. Wolves would much prefer to avoid settled areas if they can. If there's no other food in the area, they'll eat what they can get, but as long as there's deer in the woods your dog is safe. I see wolf tracks and poop in the trails behind my house fairly regularly, there's a couple of wolf packs in the valley. There's also multiple people on my street who have "free range" cats that have managed to stay alive for 10+ years.

borkt 7y ago

Definitely a thing in Alaska, wolves being pack animals makes it more of a danger as they can attack humans too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wolf_attacks_in_North_America https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wolf_attacks_in_North_...

winkywooster 7y ago
And compared to mountain lions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_cougar_attacks_in_North_America https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_cougar_attacks_i... Sure it happens, but it is extremely uncommon.
grecy 7y ago
The list you liked to has attacks in 2010, 2005, 1996, 1989... then 1943. Surely an event that only happen 4 times in more than 50 years is not worth mentioning. Also, I lived in the Yukon for 4 years, roamed all over YK and AK in the summers and winters, saw tons of wolves. Never heard of a single person ever having problems with them, it's simply not a thing.
- wahern 7y ago
  Surely that's because the gray wolf was all but extinct in the contiguous United States by the mid 1900s. As the "Wolf attack" Wikipedia article says, "wolf attacks are rare because wolves are often subsequently killed, or even extirpated in reaction by human beings." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_attack https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_attack AFAIU, fear of humans is both a learned and instinctual behavior of large predators. The latter can take thousands of years to develop, but the former requires active management, such as hunting and killing. To the extent that learned element isn't there and wolf populations continue to encroach on settlements, I would expect increased incidents.[1] And that seems to be reflected in the data. Though, that's a pretty abstract argument. The risk still seems miniscule and inconsequential. OTOH, from a political perspective consequential is defined by public sentiment, not empirical data and calculated risk assessment. [1] A quick Google search suggests that wolf hunting has been legal and practiced in Alaska since 1994. Though, maybe it's always been legal, even after wolves became protected in the lower United States. EDIT: It seems wolf hunting never ceased in Alaska (https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=intensivemanagement.historicwolf https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=intensivemanageme...), though by the 1980s even land hunting (as oppose to aerial) required permitting, which suggests people could freely shoot wolves before then, and presumably did when people felt insecure--see conclusion #5 at the very end of the page.
- borkt 7y ago
  I'm not saying its prevalent, just that it happens. FWIW I absolutely support the reintroduction of wolves
cultus 7y ago
There's far more moose attacks than wolf attacks. Being afraid of wolves as a human is completely irrational. It's one of the least threats you face in the backcountry.
- borkt 7y ago
  Agreed, just wanted to make sure its clear that they aren't dogs, though heck - there are tons of dog maulings each year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States#Fatalities_in_2019 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_t...

notatoad 7y ago

It's mostly not a thing. Wolves would much prefer to avoid settled areas if they can. If there's no other food in the area, they'll eat what they can get, but as long as there's deer in the woods your dog is safe. I see wolf tracks and poop in the trails behind my house fairly regularly, there's a couple of wolf packs in the valley. There's also multiple people on my street who have "free range" cats that have managed to stay alive for 10+ years.