Special Reports
Crying Wolf: A Misguided Canine Extermination Campaign or Sheep Protection?
In the Caucasus, villagers and wolves are currently locked in a deadly zero-sum game. With the recent cold snap in Armenia, some wolves began targeting livestock. Reports indicate that the damage was sometimes considerable, with over a dozen sheep from a single herd killed in some of these attacks. The government on Feb. 9 announced it would reward hunters for each wolf hide they turned in to the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Some environmentalists, however, argue that there may be a different reason—aside from the cold—that has driven the wolves closer to villages, and that a different solution may be better both for the wolves and locals.
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Thank you so much Nanore, I did not even know there were wolves in Armenia. I do believe that management of our wildlife is a reflection of the management of our the country in general and I believe both are being mismanaged.
Nanore your articles on the environment and nature are very appreciated. I just hope of some good new coming from the so called leaders of the government. Arrogance and ignorance don’t bode well for a society which is seen at every level of the government
Over $44,000 has been paid to hunters for killing our national treasures. Why not reimburse farmers who are losing livestock. I believe it would cost less to reimburse for loss of livestock. Once we eliminate the wolves, we won’t be able to bring them back.
Well these wolfs are not only attacking livestock they are attacking residents of rural regions of Armenia. There have been many confirmed cases recently when the villagers have been attacked.
I agree that the process of the hunting should be controlled and only the stray ones that attack humans and livestock should be killed. Before critisizing the you have to put priorities. After all the choice is human life vs wolves.
It sounds as if there are way too many wolves. Wolves should be a rare animal to be seen, if there are so many that they are close to town it’s obvious the problem was allowed to go on for too long. The basic function of government is to protect the people and their animals from such a menace.
Is that why we have an oligarch system where certain families alone get “elected” to power and become wealthy? Where 1/3 of its population has already left? Where women’s rights do not exists? Lets solve these issues first instead of riding Wolves shall we?..
the problem is human growth. wolves have been on this planet for over 3000 years without doing any harm. Humans are taking their land and food. What your saying is like starving you for a month, holding baked chicken in front of you then punishing you for eating it. Start using that thing in your head called a brain and think rationally.
I love wolfs people just walk out their front door and KILL wolves hardly makes any sense
Yes wolves can’t steal from livestock but the Government can steal elections, the people’s rights and money of course..
Demons… Stealing from livestock means that they’re hungry. Why do we humans have right to choose their fate? How dare we?! We can protect our livestock, yes, but we can never. kill. anyone. The nature has never this right to us.
Shame, Shame, Armenia. Its is bad enough that Turkey has done all it could to destroy Armenian heritage in historic Western Armenia. Why is the Armenian government doing the same in idependant Armenia? Not only killing wolves, but spoiling and polluting the country-side. Why is Armenian quarrying rock right across the border from Ani and using earth shaking blasting to do so? The vibrations are causing damage to what is left of Ani? Do we want tp finish what the Turks started? What a shame.
Dear Nanore, please continue following and writing about about these topics.
I totally agree. When I was working in Armenia I realized there was a real problem in this country with pollution. All of us, diaspora Armenians, always ask for more land because Turkey stole it from us. Most of them haven’t even been to Armenia and have no intention on ever doing so, but demand more land regardless. When I traveled through the country, I was sickened by the amount of trash littering the beautiful landscapes. I had a long talk with the editor of National Geographic Armenia where I was working and I told him that before we learn how to take proper care of this land, we shouldn’t ask for a single extra square meter. I’m not saying Turkey takes better or worse care of the land, and it’s not the point. The point is, you shouldn’t just have land because you had it before, you should have it because you will treat it as well as you claim to love it.
I also am totally on the side of Devon, we are an overpopulated planet. The problem aren’t the wolves but the humans. Very interesting article Nanore!
A very special man once said “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated”. Never were there more true words spoken. Humans needs to lose the ego and the greed, think of the big picture not just the self, wolves are an integral part of the ecosystem. It is a failing of man that he kills anything that he doesn’t understand or can’t control. We now have the knowledge from many scientific studies, worldwide, and there are alternatives. It really doesn’t take much intellingence to see what is motivating these apathetic decisions. It requires a common and united voice, just like this and other forums, to spread the word and awaken the sleepers.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” –Ghandi
“If all the beasts were gone, man would die from loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the beast, happens to the man.” –Chief Seattle
“Until he extends the circle of compassion to all livings things, Man will not himself find peace.” –Albert Schweitzer
“Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.” –Thomas Edison
“All cruelty springs from weakness.” –Seneca (4 BC – AD 65)
“Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.” –Thomas Edison
These are just a few quotes from some of the worlds greatest people, there are so many more, why aren’t we listening. We need a common & united voice, like this and other forums, spread the word and awken the sleepers.
With the Human influence on the earth’s biomass it’s hard to say who is in fault. The middle man are the people who have live stock.
The governments want to make the people happy and the wolf is and was always there, it’s just that now they threaten human lifestyle. It all comes to humans haveing the last word.
In the North Armerica Wolves were hunted down to extinction and only recent reintroduction helped to bust poppulations.
I think our government make a little too abrupt action without taking into consideration that wolf is a valuable speciece to the caucases. But, that remains to be known if the prey speciece is even there or not.
Seemingly the caucases nations are more engaged in politics of the region and territorial despiutes than protecting the wild life.
I think both are important.
save the wolves! down with hunting as a sport!
Killing wolves has become an acceptable practice all over the world in the past few years. There has to be a reasonable way to deal with the “problems” that does not involve killing these magnificent, necessary creatures. We, people, are the problem, not the wolves. Over hunting of the wolves normal food source and over development of the land for housing have put the wolf in a no win situation. Until we humans can learn to coexist with wolves the issues will continue. We need to look at them as part of the fragile eco-system we exploit rather than a scourge. They provide a necessary service by keeping the herds of deer, elk, caribou healthy. A wolf has an inate ability to determine which animal is weak, injurded or sick enough for them to make a quick and easy kill. Unfortunately, hunters dont do this. They often take the healthiest stock thus deminishing the herd’s ability to flourish. The wolves must be put back on the endangered species list in all countries in the world, limits and restrictions must be established for farmers and herders and hunters and a logical, ethical and sound policy must be established on how we live with wolves. A wolf’s DNA is a 95% match to a domesticated dog’s DNA. How can we live with and love dogs yet have so much trouble seeing a wolf in the same light?
If anyone should know about being hunted and killed it’s the Armenians. So the Armenians have become the Turks and the wolves are the Armenians. They have forgotten their history. SHAME ON YOU ARMENIA.
I hate people who kill living breathing animals ………… Listen too this what if we were the wolves and people killed us we wouldn’t like it would we?…… NO we wouldn’t like it