Destiny, perhaps from the very beginning, claimed the wolf as a symbol. Has any other
animal stirred human passions
the way the wolf has? Its haunting howl, its incredible stamina, its brilliant eyes, and
its superiority as a predator
all have been reviled as nefarious, and even demonic, traits. Ironically, these same
characteristics have also been
revered as belonging to a majestic, and sometimes spiritual, creature - a symbol of the
magnificent, untamed wilderness.
In truth, the wolf is neither evil nor exceptionally good - neither demon nor god.
Wolves are simply predators.
Their role as a predator must not be reduced, however, to that of savage killer. Wolves,
like humans, need to eat to
survive. In this process, wolves also provide a service: they help preserve nature's
delicate balance by keeping herds
of deer, elk, moose, and other large mammals in check, as well as keeping these
populations strong and genetically
viable by preying on the weak and sick.
Both the idealized wolf and the demonic wolf are creations of the human mind. It is
not easy to transcend the image
of the Big Bad Wolf that has filled our myths and legends, but if we know only this wolf
we do not truly know the wolf
at all. And what we do not know, we fear. Our fear is perhaps the greatest threat to the
survival of the wolf, for it
causes us to react rather than act, to repel rather than respect. But this fear and
hatred did not always separate man
and beast
Man the hunter once looked on the wolf the hunter with admiration. Man and wolf both
used their keen intelligence
to overcome the disadvantages they faced in their day-to-day existence. Survival for both
was enhanced by hunting and
living in groups or packs. And, at one time, the chance of survival for each was also
increased by following, learning
from, and adapting the skills of the other to its own advantage.
As long as man's daily living was earned primarily as a hunter, he knew a respect
for wolves, and coexistence was
relatively peaceful. Eventually, man and wolf took up together in a process of
domestication that brought a different
meaning to their coexistence. Even while those early ancestors of man's best friend
enjoyed this new relationship, the
wolves that did not come in from the cold were beginning to be cast in a different and
less favorable light, for the
dog was not the only animal toward whom man turned his attention in the early days of
animal husbandry. Some ten
thousand years ago, man discovered great value for himself in domesticating animals such
as cattle and sheep - it was
far easier to herd sufficient numbers of animals to supply adequate food than to hunt
them.
Man left the forest for the field, and the wilderness became a vast and frightening
entity. While the domesticated
dog was soon pressed into service to guard these herds of goats, cattle, and sheep, his
cousin the wolf was now seen as
a threat and an enemy. The wolf, again a symbol, stood not for majestic, bountiful
wilderness, but rather for foreign,
untamed wilderness that must be conquered.
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