Would you support the reintroduction of the wolf into Ireland?

Sure- why not?
Of course farmers will be pissed- what doesn't annoy them though?
There were several different groupings of wolves in the country- if I remember my wildlife properly. We have large blocks of woodland- most of it state owned, but its not the decidious woodland that would have traditionally covered the country (its not even our native Scots pine and relatives eithers).

In today's world though- would we realistically be looking at wolves in the manner that is envisaged for reintroducing them into a native habitat? Their closest relative here, the fox, has largely been driven from the countryside, with larger populations of them recorded in urban areas at present than elsewhere. The wonderous misguided attempts to rid the countryside of badgers took a big toll on other species too.

What would the main diet of the wolves have been in the past? Rabbit/Hare? We have managed to decimate the population of these with Myximatosis (excuse my spelling)- so god only knows what a tainted rabbit might pass on to a wolf.......

What about other native species that ran with wolves? Boars for example? Can you see the populace being happy with wild boar terrorising the place? Or worse- with the horsey set deciding that it would be the perfect opportunity to implement a *proper* hunt once again, and have roasted boar at their balls? It would be all their dreams come true......

While many of the EU directives are more than a tad bizzare (I should know ) their directives on the environment are enlightened especially when one considers the cavalier attitudes of Irish people and their politicians to the environment, and conservation measures associated with it. For example- we fought for a derogation to allow us to continue to pollute our waterways with nitrates from surface runoff of overly applied fertilisers by farmers........

Sod it- introduce the wolves, radio collar them, and arrest anyone found looking suspiciously at them. Baa baa black sheep...... baaa baaa humbug......

Just thinking about this- farmers don't get headage payments for sheep anymore (and they can't very well compete with New Zealand lamb) so unless they enjoy subsidising a loss making enterprise (oddly enough a lot of them probably do) they no longer have any business keeping sheep, or cattle, or any other animals. Also- we cannot compete in the world grain market- because of insufficient mass....... so if farmers- who own most of the land anyway- have no good reason to (well to do anything other than twiddle their thumbs)- surely conservation of wolves, wild boar and any other inventive creatures we dream of, could be tied into their REPS (rural environment protection scheme) payments? We're already paying them to do nothing, why not get something for our money instead? Think of the warning signs on property- "You are entering private property at your own peril. Trespassers may be seriously injured or eaten" Whatever about wolves, wild boar are right assholes. We could even use it as an argument to prove we are protecting a delicate environment by keeping people away, and use it as a tourism ploy? How much damage can a few wolves do? Less than an average Friday night in Eyre Square........

allnight_2002 wrote:

If wolves were reintroduced to this country it would be the end for some of the other spices of animals that are in our eco system.

Fine by me- its only a pity the wolves don't mink and grey squirrels delicacies....

allnight_2002 wrote:

The wild Deer in Kerry and around the Wicklow mountains would not survive for long as they have not had a natural predator for years.

They'll adapt..... anyway the sheep will be easier to catch.....

allnight_2002 wrote:

many other species would also be in danger of been wiped out pheasants hares and rabbits.

Many of these species are on the brink of extinction and only being kept in existence artificially anyhow. I have attended more pheasant releases in the last 20 years than I care to think about.

allnight_2002 wrote:

Not only does this country no longer have the correct food chain to maintain a wild pack of wolves but the terrain is also not suitable of a wolf pack.

Food chains evolve constantly. Man is the ultimate predator at the top of the food chain. Allowing a competitor with man is what this entails, not an argument over scare resources, which isn't an air-tight argument.

allnight_2002 wrote:

A reasonable size pack would hunt over a large area and would kill a lot of farm animals.

Perhaps the farmers could be enticed to farm animals for a new customer? They are being paid to do absolutely nothing- aka setaside anyhow- so surely this novel idea deserves a thought?

allnight_2002 wrote:

I known that some of you think that the farmers just complain about everything ( I must admit that some of then do ) but how would you like to weak up some morning and find out that you livelihood had been wipe out a pack of hungry wolves during the night. :eek:

You'd feel wonderful if you were getting a hundred quid a head for each sheep you could prove was killed by a wolf. Wonderful stuff money. Farmers won't even need much training, they are well used to bribery already.....