Should Ireland Re-Introduce the wolf?

JupiterKid · 23-03-2017 7:09am #1

I know it won't be popular with a lot of people, but wolves used to be native to Ireland until the last wolf was killed in the 17th century. Apparently in the wild, fox numbers are out of control and wolves would prey on foxes and keep their numbers in check. But I'm sure many farmers would be against reintroducing wolves as they could prey on sheep and calves.

So do you think wolves should be reintroduced here? Could it be successfully managed?

Link:
https://www.irelandswildlife.com/grey-wolf-re-introduction-ireland/

And what of other megafauna? Some ecologists have suggested introducing predators such as Lions, Rhinos and the like to North America. Would you think lions and bears in the Irish countryside would be madness? Discuss...

Collie D · 23-03-2017 7:46am

Whatever about wolves and it is worth discussing the pros and cons, rhinos and lions is a ridiculous idea.

I'm all for the reintroduction or preservation of native species but after 3-400 years can we still say the wolf is indigenous to Ireland?

Your Face · 23-03-2017 7:55am

After the carnage one Wolf did on Gladiators, I don't think we should introduce his kind in this country.

[Deleted User] · 23-03-2017 8:10am

It is generally accepted that, unfortunately, there is nowhere in Ireland with a sufficient acerage of wilderness to support a wolf population. Its a non starter and would be against good welfare in wolves to place them anywhere here.

stimpson · 23-03-2017 8:16am

I think he only does car insurance ads now.

[Deleted User] · 23-03-2017 8:16am

It sounds kinda nice and wild and dangerous and we're all down with nature programmes now so we think we know about wolves.

It's really a non starter.

osarusan · 23-03-2017 8:22am

That's 30 minutes away. I'll be there in 10.

JupiterKid · 23-03-2017 8:28am

Well, there used to be bears in Ireland. If we introduced the brown bear, we'd merely be re-introducing the animal. But alas I don't think it would work.

Research indicates that Arctic polar bears may have actually descended from the Irish bear.

Link:
https://www.irelandswildlife.com/polar-bears-of-irish-descent/

casscass4444 · 23-03-2017 8:32am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It is generally accepted that, unfortunately, there is nowhere in Ireland with a sufficient acerage of wilderness to support a wolf population. Its a non starter and would be against good welfare in wolves to place them anywhere here.

Plenty of space in Connemara for a load of wolves.tag a few on gps and use them as a tourist attraction.theres national park there too with plenty of deer

[Deleted User] · 23-03-2017 8:39am

JupiterKid wrote: »

Well, there used to be bears in Ireland. If we introduced the brown bear, we'd merely be re-introducing the animal. But alas I don't think it would work.

Research indicates that Arctic polar bears may have actually descended from the Irish bear.

Link:
https://www.irelandswildlife.com/polar-bears-of-irish-descent/

Bears? Seriously...where?

Chancer3001 · 23-03-2017 8:42am

casscass4444 wrote: »

Plenty of space in Connemara for a load of wolves.tag a few on gps and use them as a tourist attraction.theres national park there too with plenty of deer

And what are they going to eat in conamara apart from farmers sheep?

[Deleted User] · 23-03-2017 8:42am

casscass4444 wrote: »

Plenty of space in Connemara for a load of wolves.

Plenty of private property.

Less than 3,000 hectares of public park.

It's like saying "I have a fish tank in the sitting room, I'd like to keep a shark..."

Working class heroes · 23-03-2017 8:49am

http://wicklownews.net/2015/04/wolves-to-be-introduced-into-the-wicklow-mountains/

[Deleted User] · 23-03-2017 8:51am

Working class heroes wrote: »

http://wicklownews.net/2015/04/wolves-to-be-introduced-into-the-wicklow-mountains/

Check that date out.

Working class heroes · 23-03-2017 8:52am

Dónal wrote: »

Check that date out.

I know:D
Caused a ****storm at the time, great crack it was!

23-03-2017 8:55am

Chancer3001 wrote: »

And what are they going to eat in conamara apart from farmers sheep?

Children.

tupenny · 23-03-2017 9:00am

Deleted User wrote: »

Bears? Seriously...where?

Yep. I rem watching a documentary where they discovered remains of a bear up in some cave in Leitrim.

Erik Shin · 23-03-2017 9:01am

Farmers are poisoning eagles that were reintroduced into Ireland...Imagine what they'd do to wolves!?

Lovely Bloke · 23-03-2017 9:19am

The Wolf Pack in the Zoo is amazing, if you get there just after opening time and head straight over there you'll usually see them congregated near the viewing place just up the steps, all howling in unison, it's beautifully creepy.

jimmy blevins · 23-03-2017 9:20am

The Irish elk is a possible candidate for de extinction. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_elk

snowflaker · 23-03-2017 9:21am

People could get t shirts!

[Deleted User] · 23-03-2017 9:23am

JupiterKid wrote: »

Well, there used to be bears in Ireland. If we introduced the brown bear, we'd merely be re-introducing the animal. But alas I don't think it would work.

Research indicates that Arctic polar bears may have actually descended from the Irish bear.

Link:
https://www.irelandswildlife.com/polar-bears-of-irish-descent/

Which bear is best?

Lovely Bloke · 23-03-2017 9:25am

boneyarsebogman wrote: »

Which bear is best?

Russian Bear is best bear.

gramar · 23-03-2017 9:27am

Gummi bears.

fizzypish · 23-03-2017 9:32am

For the purpose of conversation good post OP and what I'm about to write is not aimed at you but the idea: **** no thats a terrible idea. The areas they did it in the states were remote to some degree. Theres no spot in Ireland bar the top of a mountain where your not a quarter day from someone. No matter where you put them they would interfere with farmland. They already have problems re introducing large birds of prey due to farmers shooting them. Wolves are so ****ing dangerous that during WW2, the Russians and Germans had a cease fire to kill the wolf population due to predation on the soldiers. If you argue the wolves were starving in that situation then I say that the introduced wolves to Ireland will only be a problem if they get hungry enough?!?! As a people we have forgotten but we exterminated the population for a reason. Wolves would control the deer population and foxes and all that stuff BUT we'd have to control the wolf population. Lets all be thankful that the most dangerous **** we deal with is an Irate badger or a thicket of nettles.

Shenshen · 23-03-2017 9:40am

There's virtually no large game for them to prey on. They would definitely turn to prey on livestock, and that's neither a natural situation nor desireable for anyone.

Wolfs and bears are slowly migrating back into Western Europe since the fall of the iron curtain, and while some are settling in ok in remote areas of the alps and largely unpopulated areas in Northeastern Germany as well as some national parks (Bayerischer Wald, for example), there have been some rather unfortunate run-ins with livestock, pets and humans already. And we're talking about areas where they can hunt various kinds of deer, wild boar, wild goats, etc.

There's jut nowhere near enough "unused" land in Ireland, and not enough large wildlife to sustain them.

Mr McBoatface · 23-03-2017 9:50am

Wild Boar have been reintroduced either by accident or on purpose. Having "Escaped" from special farm's or released by hunters.

They've bred either with their own kind or refal pigs and numbers are growing.

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/wild-boar-strikes-fear-into-the-hearts-of-walkers-29966566.html

Richard Hillman · 23-03-2017 9:51am

It is appalling that we have no wild land in this country. Everywhere regulated, zoned or sold

Wibbs · 23-03-2017 9:55am

fizzypish wrote: »

Wolves are so ****ing dangerous that during WW2, the Russians and Germans had a cease fire to kill the wolf population due to predation on the soldiers.

It was WW1. Wolves are not particularly dangerous and attacks on people are rare and localised. Interestingly Irish wolves were quite bold and aggressive and were far more likely to attack people and adults with it(most attacks are on children). The early Christian annals report wolf attacks on a fairly regular basis. On the other hand they were popular enough as pets. I would agree though that re-introducing them into Ireland would be daft.

Shenshen wrote: »

There's jut nowhere near enough "unused" land in Ireland, and not enough large wildlife to sustain them.

Exactly. Though we have a low population density, we're very spread out with no real wild areas left. Certainly none that could sustain a large and mobile apex predator. That Ireland is long gone.

jester77 · 23-03-2017 10:00am

I would be all for it, they did this in Yellowstone National Park and the results are astounding

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q

andekwarhola · 23-03-2017 10:03am

Of all the ideas punted in AH down the years, introducing bears, lions, rhinos and wolves to a country like Ireland must be right up there.

Should Ireland Re-Introduce the wolf?

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