Justin Duzik: Predators will attack anything
February 1, 2008
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Craig — Don’t kid yourself. Any large predator will attack anything if it is hungry enough.
There is plenty of credited information out that directly contradicts Mr. Hammela’s opinion.
While I agree it is nowhere near common, it is possible. Here an example that is real close to home. The link, www.aws.vcn.com/wolf_attacks_on_humans, is the rest of the story, but this one is interesting due to the location.
George Bird Grinnell investigated several reported wolf attacks on humans. He dismissed many reports for lack of evidence. Grinnell did verify one attack.
This occurrence was in Northwestern Colorado. An 18-year-old girl went out at dusk to bring in some milk cows. She saw a gray wolf on a hill as she went out for the cows. She shouted at the wolf to scare it away and it did not move.
She then threw a stone at it to frighten it away. The animal snarled at her shouting and attacked her when she threw the stone at it. The wolf grabbed the girl by the shoulder, threw her to the ground and bit her severely on the arms and legs. She screamed and her brother, who was nearby and armed with a gun, responded to the scene of the attack and killed the wolf.
The wolf was a healthy young animal, barely full grown. Grinnell met this girl and examined her. She carried several scars from the attack. This attack occurred in summer about 1881. (Grinnell, G.B.; Trail and Campfire — Wolves and Wolf Nature, New York, 1897)
Justin Duzik
1 February 2008 at 1:05 p.m.
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nikobesti (Anonymous) says…
We can argue until the sun goes down about how many wolf attacks there have been. Rick Hammel says 1, Justin gives another example. I read your internet link, and although there are many stories, nothing is verified. The fact of the matter is, there have been extraordinarily few wolf attacks on humans. Even your web site admits this.
Wolves are often hungry. With all the history of wolves in North America, and all those hungry wolves, how come we don't see more attacks? It's because wolves are shy and reclusive animals. We can argue whether the number is 1 or 100, but the point is we don't need to resort to fear mongering and rhetoric and Little Red Riding Hood stories about wolves attacking children at bus stops. Wolves are not dangerous to humans.
1 February 2008 at 9:22 p.m.
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jdsd00 (Anonymous) says…
Nikobesti,
Apparently your reading comprehension needs some work.
1. You say nothing is verified. The story printed in the paper directly stated that it was “verified” by George Bird Grinnell. Who, by the way, dismissed many stories due to lack of evidence. If you would have actually read the entire page on my referenced site 90% of the stories are verified but I guess if you can’t believe the Alaska Game and Fish you can consider these “stories” as not verified.
2. You state “there have been extraordinarily few wolf attacks on humans” which I more than agree to, as I stated in the paper. That statement being “While I agree it is nowhere near common, it is possible”.
3. “Wolves are often hungry. With all the history of wolves in North America, and all those hungry wolves, how come we don't see more attacks?” Wolves have been eradicated from the most densely populated areas in North America for 50 to 100 years. So that means human wolf contact has been limited and most of the time when it did occur it was someone trying to kill the wolf, which would lead you to the idea that wolves generally stayed as far away as possible.
4. Lastly, you’re most absurd statement yet, you know the one about “fear mongering”. I had no intention of creating fear in anyone; I was simply stating my rebuttal to the statement “They don’t attack children”. Putting a blanket statement out there like that is ludicrous. With the right circumstances they will, any predator will.
My opinion is that wolves are impressive animals and deserve their place in our wilderness, but they are not cute huggable animals. I also believe that there is more of a threat of getting bitten by a domestic dog than a wolf or any other predator but the possibility is there. My information to prove that is in my letter and creditable. I would not let my children play with or around a dog, of any kind unless I know the animal. Please reread my letter and the information on the web site very slowly and carefully it was not meant to be rhetoric.
1 February 2008 at 10:05 p.m.
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bambam (Anonymous) says…
Any animal will attack given the circumstance, from a family pet, a chicken, or a feriociuos wolf. some animals attack because they know no fear or humans, sometimes due to not coming in contact with them until they are forced to. sometimes other animals just “snap” like a dog or the chicken. sorry there is not website mr. duzike to back this up , just personal experiance.