Interesting article I found
For far too long the pro-wolf crowd, with an extreme financial incentive for continued wolf protection, has dominated media presences perpetuating falsehoods. The fact often untold is that environmental and animal rights groups make a large portion of their revenue by vilifying ranchers and hunters by portraying them as wanting to “exterminate” wolves and claiming “wolves are on the verge of extinction!”
These blatantly false statements are nothing but tactical marketing ploys to raise funds to continue their frivolous lawsuit cycle in an effort to prevent wolves from being properly managed by state wildlife professionals.
Myth: Wolves Don’t Attack People
Myth: Wolves Only Kill What They Eat
Myth: Wolves Only Kill The Old and Sick
Myth: Wolves Don’t Impact Hunting
Myth: Wolves Are Endangered or Near Extinction
What Groups Perpetuate These Myths?
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Wolves don’t attack people – BUSTED
There are no known gray wolf attacks on humans in modern times in North America – USFW
The definition of “modern times” according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary is: the present or the immediate past. Considering most animal rights and environmental groups claim that the wolf has been nearly extinct since the early 1900s, it’s obvious that there would be no documented attacks, so let’s evaluate times when wolves were plentiful. Historically Documented Attacks, When Wolves Were Plentiful*:
France: Between 1580 and 1830, 3,069 people were killed by wolves
Sweden: Between 1763 and 1767, 99 people were killed by wolves
Italy: Between the 15th and 19th century 440 people were killed by wolves
Russia: Between 1943 and 1947, 60 people were killed by wolves, 46 were children
India & Pakistan: In 1875, 721 people were killed by wolves
Iran: In 2005 and 2008 two people were killed.
North America: Prior to the 1700s there were no records kept on wolf attacks. However, there is a lot of folklore from Native American culture which depicts wolf attacks. In 1807 during the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped on the shores of the Yellowstone River when a wolf came into camp and bit Private Richard Windsor.
Near the Ohio border in 1803, wolves attacked two men, killing one.
In 1833 a wolf attacked a trapper camp in Wyoming biting 13 people.
In 1881 an 18 year old female was attacked by a wolf in Colorado.
In the Canadian Arctic Expedition of 1913-1918 a wolf attacked the expedition, which is now on display in the National Museum in Ottawa.
In 1922 a trapper and two Indians sent to find the trapper were found killed by wolves.
Modern Times, When Wolves Are “Near Extinction”*:
In 1974-1975 wolves killed 165 dogs in Fairbanks, Alaska, which resulted in the killing of 13 wolves. After the wolves were culled, the attacks reportedly drastically dropped.
In 1996 five wolves attacked and killed 25 year old Patricia Wyman in Ontario.
In 2000 a 6 year old boy and 9 year old boy were attacked by a wolf in Icy Bay, Alaska.
In 2000, 23 year old Scott Langevin was attacked by a wolf while sleeping on Vargas Island in British Columbia.
In 2005, Kenton Carnegie was attacked and killed by wolves in northern Saskatchewan.
In 2005, Fred Desjarlais was attacked in Saskatchewan when returning home from Key Lake.
In 2006 six people were attacked by a wolf in Ontario.
In 2010, Candice Berner was jogging in Chignik Lake, Alaska when she was attacked and killed by wolves.
In 2013, a good samaritan driver Dawn Hepp was attacked by a wolf on the side of the road in Manitoba.
In 2013, a teenager was attacked while in his sleeping bag in Minnesota. He physically pried the wolf’s jaw open to remove his head.
Read more
http://oregonoutdoorcouncil.org/top-wolf-myths-busted-wolves-do-attack-people-do-impact-hunting-do-surplus-kill-et-al/
