Id wait till they start encroaching on human habitat and start attacking their pets, before accepting those results.
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.
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.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wolf_attacks_in_North_...
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.
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=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.
Sure it happens, but it is extremely uncommon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_t...
Cats will be much safer. Wolves equal to more saplins alive, thus increase in wolfes = increase in trees, and more trees around, mean cats climbing to safety with just an elegant jump.
Moreover, cats are perfectly able to fight back and they keep routinely german shepperds at bay. An angry cat can scratch a dog eye really fast.
Plus the benefit of 100 coyotes fleeing the area and more bird nests at soil level = Happier cats.
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The effect in dogs will be less clear, but will be positive in some aspects at least.
Wolves will put warnings of "do not enter" for dogs to sniff all around the place. Small dogs in wolf territory are not so prone to escape and will remain closer to their human owner. Most dog owners would appreciate that as a good thing.
Dogs close to a human are safe. Wolves will not approach or touch any human with a ten foot pole. Coyotes instead... well is a different history. Coyotes are much, much, bolder and will grab walking dogs practically from the hands of the owner if they have the opportunity.
If you are a responsible owner shouldn't let your dog roam alone in the forest at night. Wolves will not kill them, cars will do. Small dogs should sleep also inside or in a secure area at night, not chained outside. Irresponsible owners will lose pets, as usual, with and without wolves. This is not the wolves fault.
Wolves in the area mean less dogs lost, killed or severely hurt after being lost trying to chase a deer.
Can fall to mention there that the "but think in the pets!" argument is a litle hypocritical. I don't see any of those people asking for erradication of boars so the pets will be safer. A boar can severe the spine of a dog in no time. A Deer can impale a dog's neck or torax easily also.
> Moreover, cats are perfectly able to fight back and they keep routinely german shepperds at bay.
Not sure why you think ylu are qualified to talk about cats or pets at large. Cats fend off german shepards because the dog wants to instinctually chase and play. Cats are routinely eaten by single coyotes and large birds, much less dedicated packs of wolves (who admittedly rarely bother with cats). Cats will try to stay closer to the home/farm pulled by instinct to roam/expand their territory and chase prey, presenting a perrenial danger.
Reintroducing wolves is reasonable, but dont simultaneously undercut your message with astounding ignorance.
LOL We are not talking about Higgs' Boson. Is because my human brain that I'm qualified (Is awesome that we have evolved this pink thing if we think about it). In the planet earth, even toddlers are qualified to talk about cats. Pretty common stuff.
You admit that wolves will rarely would bother with cats at least. Is a start.
Exactly. It's laughable to imagine cats are better off because they can claw at well-fed dogs. SMH
Let me express that in a nice tone. You never owned a cat, do you?