The Wolves of Yellowstone (Radinger)
lecture Elli H. Radinger
topic: The Wolves of Yellowstone
03.30.2010 in Osnabrück
Organizer: Zoogesellschaft Osnabrück eV / Museum Schölerberg
Actually, this presentation will report fits here, so even not really, because it was in the talk not about dogs, but wolves and then also a very special project - namely the reintroduction of wild wolves in Yellowstone National Park in the United States.
But the wolf is indeed perceived still like to "close relative" of the dog in public - so that's always wrong, but it fits in here somehow.
Also related: The title of the latest New Release of Elliot H. Radinger - " wolfish for dog owners " is the work (the title later ...), a few comments It is published in mid April 2010. Co-author Günther Bloch. Elli Radinger observed since 1995, the wolves in Yellowstone, Bloch few years longer the animals in Banff National Park, Canada. One is in this context must sometimes make it clear: They are both interested amateurs in the wolf observation. She is described as "researchers" measure - they do not have to any training at all. Ethology as an internship ranges from no means. Elli Radinger is inherently a lawyer and has, like a trained travel agent Bloch made the hobby into a career. I pushed it a little angry that this is not clearly demonstrated. Thus, in the Lecture Radinger the demand came from the audience, who it should finance the "Research Project". Yes, of course, no one - because it did not meet the criteria of scientific research. Of a serious and profound research can not be said that in both cases. Both Radinger as Bloch also finance their living from their publishing activities, and Bloch also about his dog farm and Radinger Wolf also private tours of Yellowstone. The viewer / listener / reader knows, however, often do not and there is here a whole slate impression. If you have the need?
to talk: I was due to the connection to Bloch little biased and feared that it would be so unstructured as him. But fortunately is not confirmed my fears. Irritating was that it is actually a slide show acted - Elli Radinger commented tersely that she was in the "not yet arrived Beamer era" and fear for the quality of analog recording photos when they would have to scan them. Anyway, kind of romantic nostalgia, the clacking of a slide projector;) and the photos were really impressive and beautiful!
Radinger began to introduce the Yellowstone National Park and the concept that there had been considered in order to reintroduce wolves. They wanted no animals reintroduced from captivity, but it should be reintroduced wild wolves. These were already in large numbers back in Canada, so we started there and spent a Animals this to Yellowstone, where they were first included in reserve, because it was feared that they would otherwise migrate back again. It has formed two groups - one consisting of 11, the second from 14 animals. Finally, the doors were opened - and after some initial difficulties, the animals finally left the cage by the back door and so since 1995 free-living wolves in Yellowstone road. The animals were initially identified by ear tags and were equipped with radio collars (telemetry). Such collars Elli Radinger had it - so could anyone who wanted to lend a hand: It was quite hard the equipment! Pleasant to wear are certainly not. The young generation is also, if possible, so equipped - with stunning arrows shot from a helicopter. Even this is not just kind to animals, but a necessary evil.
The reintroduction of wolves in the park, both the flora has changed the fauna and of course there permanently. Main prey of wolves, the elk-deer (engl. 'elk', often translated in the literature fälscherlicherweise with moose). Their population has halved since 1995, including because of hunting by wolves. Also did not remain without consequences for the environment. The Russian proverb "When the wolves . Come, a growing forest "has come true: The land desertification was held up For some time now grow back trees, it forms the undergrowth, as overgrazing has stopped by the deer have Thus, habitats for other animals formed - so.. is the beaver returned, other songbird species have been added. This is that the rivers become cooler, for example, the trout now be found there again.
Another "losers" in the park are the coyotes, which are perceived by the wolves as prey competitors and thus have poor cards Their population has declined sharply -. and their prey (eg, marmots) increase again stronger, which in turn attracts other hunters, such as birds of prey. The bald eagle will remain now in the winter in the park of course has the number of crows has increased dramatically, received yes almost a symbiotic community of life with the wolves and have therefore given by Native Americans, the aptly named "Wolf Birds". But others have benefited from the wolves, the bears who go to the wolves is usually more out of the way (and vice versa;)), have nevertheless recognized that it can be great to work for you: they sometimes go their prey, being observed even by Radinger was that the two species together on eat a carcass.
In other words, the Yellowstone eco-system has gained a whole by the settlement.
Radinger, however, has not denied that the wolf reintroduction is not met for many people - especially the part of the Ranger and farmers there were and there are some militant resistance and it was not long before the first wolf was poached. Today, given the good reproduction of the Wolf no longer on the list of species conservation in Yellowstone and is allowed to be hunted under certain conditions. However, the stock is currently declining sharply again - currently there are just under a hundred animals. At times, there were almost twice as many - what ultimately the park size was considered to be overpopulation. This necessarily led to stress among the wolves and increased competition for territories. Some wandered off - were heavily hunted outside the park but that it increased again led back then, and the pressure in and the park. Probably another consequence of this continuous stress: The wolves were more susceptible to illness and so had the mange easy game that much of the wolf population has taken. The year before last it was also a parvovirus epidemic that killed all wolf pups of the year. You can also also be positive - it seems as if in the case of over-population, the number of animals actually decimate course.
Elli Radinger tried in the course of her presentation and revise again and again the Wolf outdated image. There is no Alpha - the observations and conclusions that we have drawn from observations of enclosure wolves, are ingrained simply wrong and do not in any way in the free-living subjects (see also dominance ). We also use the term no longer have this replaced by "alpha wolf / wolf." Wolves usually live in the (extended) family unit. Per herd are the parents. Interesting in this context: If a leader of the pack from the helicopter stunned runs the pack continued without him, however, the Leitwölfin shot, remains at least as the alpha wolf - Radinger remarked with a smile: "We can draw our conclusions!" - Well, guys, what has been with Alpha ... ;): D
per herd lead to not hunting - it's usually young animals that initiate them. Killing the prey, however, leads in fact often a lead animal: it needs to stop and have experience the parents, after all the recent advance.
The hunting course often looks like that orbits in Y-shape and the herd is 'separated' groups are becoming smaller and smaller. In eight out of ten cases, the hunting way unsuccessful.
It is also not true that only pairs per herd itself. In the Hochranz be it so, that even these will affect intervene, but otherwise is observed, which was covered as well as a pack Leitwölfin (Druids) on the same day from different males. One of them even had the nickname "Casanova", which he acquired in that he went from pack to pack and various Wolf ladies so happy.
would also not kill the offspring of others, but usually it is so that the she-wolves of a pack of their offspring together aufzögen.
The frequent expression "in general" can imagine it: there are exceptions (they reported a very 'dominant' Leitwölfin that her pack but otherwise 'terrorized' and finally was killed by the latter), there are easily identifiable, individual personalities with the wolves, and thus different behavior can be shown.
is even - and yet it is in the minds of people not so easy. Too deep, it seems that pictures of Alpha & Co. to have dug into the brain. So said Dr. Grote, director of the museum on Schoelerberg, right after the lecture, so that killing the "alpha" wolf the offspring of the other she-wolves. Radinger: "No - because you probably have not really listened or were there?" Or did he simply did not listen! Answer their counterpart: "But when Erik Zimen is but ..." - Radinger: "Erik Zimen is simply out of date!" Sigh! - It is hoped that the message will at some point in the mind.
I really liked the overall presentation very well, it was structured, there were great pictures and a good balance between details and nice anecdotes. Incidentally, you can also go to Elli Radinger together on Wolf observation. On their website find the necessary information about this course and learn more about the wolves and even references to the one published by her wolf magazine.
am I now also quite tempting to read into the new book "wolfish for dog owners" because I did after the lecture the vague hope that it is not what the title of first - namely, the wolf behavior to the relationship between man and dog to transfer. That would be absolute nonsense and is unacceptable for several reasons: Wolves are not dogs - the history is completely different. More importantly, people and dogs are - it will be one or the other have noticed;) - not the same species. That is, for example, the communication behavior quite different. And the success of the dog, is that he can adjust very well to the human form of communication and respond accordingly. So it is nonsense to try to dog-like or even "wolfish" Communication as a human imitate ("alpha roll", neck shaking, mustache handle, growl at the dog or the like).
it is good, however, know something about canine communication - even more beautiful it would be, these were to secure knowledge - is only the communication behavior of the dog, unfortunately, been little or not at all explored. To body language can say something to vocalizations little or nothing. And "literal remnants of wolves" here to compare with the dog, of course you can do - partly because there are certainly parallels no question, as it is also possible between humans and chimpanzee or gorilla behaviors quite compare ... * Flute * For significance rather it is then, however, not enough.
I would be very concerned that we both of these comparisons between wolf and dog set at last and focusing instead on the exploration of the domestic dog and would that we, like the wolf is concerned, the old braids ratzefatze cut short and try this to erase from the minds - and as such is a book title is anything but helpful, but it reinforces the old notion by comparing resumes and hence the associations, which put this in their heads.
But the book I'm going to show, and after reading to form an opinion - of which more then in the library !
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