The emphasis
1 February 2007
So, the debate about reintroducing Wolves into the Highlands of Scotland raises it’s head again.
I, personally, would like to see a return of a more fully balanced ecosystem, which would help re-establishing trees, plants and birds – by controlling the red deer numbers – but obviously there would be implications for farmers and their livestock. A rolling back of time to when Wolves ran in Scotland will need a re-education of not only the people who live and work in that place, but a particular education for those that visit. I can’t imagine really the great visiting population being prepared for Wolves in the hills, having lived in areas that attract a lot of visitors, there seem to be problems enough with encounters of farm livestock and inappropriate clothing, never mind potentially dangerous wild animals. As I’ve often said before, people generally are getting more and more divorced from the natural environment, so big wild animals with teeth could be far too much for many.
However, such a reintroduction scheme could also give us the chance for a sea change for the better, in the way that wild areas are regarded, a chance to change from what I see as a slippery slope to regarding the countryside as a picture post card – back to a functioning environment that could be a little bit more challenging and exciting!
Spring is here?
