Wolf Attack Kills Teacher

I saw a reference to a tiny town called "King Salmon," I did some commercial fishing out of there a few years back (summer job). It's not just Alaska, it's the super boonies! Seeing bear in town isn't an uncommon event in those parts, so to run without being aware of one's surroundings is a recipe for disaster (case in point). Not saying this woman was asking for it or anything, that is some deep backcountry though, and as was mentioned before, fortune favors the prepared. Just my 2 cents...
 
teacher said:
Imagine that..... wonder what PETA or Disney would/will say about this.
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Hm...

Some quick googling shows* one documented case of a death from a wolf attack in Alaska since we settled in the Americas.

By contrast, at least 15 people have died inside of Disney World since the 1980's.





So I guess Disney would say that wolves are pretty harmless, considering more people have died in their park than have died in the entire state of Alaska due to the "harsh reality" of these vicious predators, which have been made out to be harmless puppy dogs, to be loved and cuddled and made kissy faces with, by all those damn ignorant tree huggers. :rolleyes:





But please, don't let facts cloud your little knee-jerk response.






*googling random sources on the web is not a substitute for a rigorous scientific study, and I am not claiming it is. It's good enough for a little perspective on the situation, though.
 
So I wasn't imagining it? I am getting old ;) but its the accepted fact by 90% of the populace that wolves don't kill folks right?

As far as it being a common thread of victims:

Running
Ipod
Small woman

It you look like food and act like food then you are food. To something or someone.
 
MustardMan said:
There you go injecting rational thought, backed by documented evidence, into the discussion again. That type of thinking isn't welcome when it's easier to just blame this on politics and "those damn city slicker tree huggers". :rolleyes:
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Actually, he's using undocumented evidence. No wolf attacks? Must not happen! Hmmm... :rolleyes:
 
Magnussen said:
I keep seeing the same victim profile for these kind of animal attacks.

Jogging
IPOD
Small women

Rick
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Exactly.
Take the crap out of your ears, and you'll probably be safe.
No amount of weaponry or training will do a damn thing if you're rocking to Metallica when the predators comes to eat you.
 
Codger_64 said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_attacks_on_humans

Unless Canada doesn't count.

http://www.aws.vcn.com/wolf_attacks_on_humans.html
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I did say Alaska specifically. Even if you include all of the ones that have happened in North America since the 80s, the numbers are still of the same order of magnitude as the number of people who died at Disney.


The point isn't the exact numbers though, it's that deadly wolf attacks are exceedingly rare, and thus it is ridiculous to make goofy statements about the tree huggers and hippies claiming wolves aren't dangerous.



Statistically, they are not dangerous, compared to many, many other things. I'd be more worried about educating people to stop feeding their kids salty fatty foods than I would to educate them about the dangers of wolf attacks.




When I go into the woods, I am concerned about these sorts of things, but I don't delude myself into thinking wolf attacks matter at all in the grand scheme of things. And I certainly wouldn't blame the "big city liberals" if I chose to move to a secluded part of Alaska and failed to anticipate the dangers of that harsh environment.


Turning this into a political discussion is downright stupid.
 
People often forget just how wild Alaska can be.

I live an another rural area of Alaska on the other side of the state. We have had a number of encounters with wolves coming in pretty close to the community and killing dogs and such.

I think she had been in the state since August so probably was not aware of the dangers involved in what she was doing. Unfortunately, she paid a heavey price for her ignorance. It is usually around this time of year late in winter when you start to hear wolf encounter stories especially if it has been a rough winter for them. There are many instances of wolves taking dogs outside of houses during the winter.

I have been stalked by wolves before in the winter and it was not a pleasant experience, and I was armed with a handgun. There is not many feelings that compare to the realization that you being hunted. It was probably a pack of 4-6 and they basically surrounded me but kept just far enough away in the woods that I only caught a slight glimps of them as they moved and could not get a clear shot. I fired a couple shots in their general direction and they ran off.
 
If you study the genetic history of wolves you'll see man killed most of the non shy animals long ago leaving a timid smaller breeding population.
They were hunted by airplane and shot on sight for many years.This had to have an effect on the genetics of breeding populations.
The recent reintroduction and decreased hunting pressure in areas can cause the behavior of wolves to change.Any animal,Mountain Lion behavior is changing IMO.

Animals learn two ways Social learning.They are taught by other wolves to fear man.
The conditioned response.Wolves/animals learn through direct experience.
Less hunting/less humans shooting at wolves "negative reenforcement" in general plus increased non armed, non threatening humans in wolf population areas in general can effect a change in the standard of behavior we've become use to in the last 200 years.Meaning wolves avoid man.Wolves avoided man because wolves feared man.If the danger is less the fear will be less,

Animals hungry enough will attack.The less fear of man they have and the less genetic shyness they have the more likely they will attack for predation,territory defense drive or just unrestrained prey/fight drive.
Current conditions can change behavior norms.Hybridization can also change behavior.

I actually owned a couple wolves and used them in a breeding program to improve the working ability of K9s.I personally saw a few dozen other wolves in captivity and many many more hybrids.I wouldn't trust the old wolfs won't attack human dogma.Shyness was rampant in breeding population but there were plenty not shy but bold, dominant with high rank drive.
Most people have heard of the danger of wolf/hybrids now.It was long ago before this was common knowledge when I was working with them.
The German Shepherd dog is a wolf hybrid.The original Shepherd dogs of Europe looked like Belgian Malinois.It was the infusion of wolf blood that made the GSD.Something still denied and not known by people outside of the working K9 community.
All dogs bite giving the right circumstances.That includes wolves,IMO.

Humans unarmed are easy prey.Don't be easy prey.If you are unarmed and easy prey, don't act like you're unarmed.Animals read body language.They read it and use it to communicate with each other.You can use it too.
 
Something that hasnt been mentioned as to why the wolves have been close to towns
I frequent a couple trapper forums.One has quite a large input from Alaskan trappers.Up there for the last few years wolves have been hanging out close to a few towns gobbling up the local loose dogs and cats.Once the excess of those are gone and no natural prey around (thats why there hanging close to town in the 1st place)Whats left?
Very tragic to say the least.
I ride freight trains for a living.We have run over more than a few people with very tragic results-All had music plugged into their ears.People just tuned out to anything and everything. They should sell those things with only one phone/speaker for one ear only
Well it hadnt been mentioned once I started typing ditrtpig 67 beat me on the dogs and cats
Dan'l
 
Well this has been a most interesting thread. Thanks to all who’ve posted.

The links provided by Codger 64 certainly makes for eye-opening reading. I’ve always believed that wolves kept their distance from people so this has been most enlightening (frightening?).

Although the number of wolf attacks may be statistically insignificant when compared with the number of road deaths or deaths due to heart disease I don’t think that one can compare these incidents. On any morning in the USA there must be many millions of drivers commuting to work. On any given weekend there are probably a few hundred people out and about in wolf country.

I’ve had some experience with feral dogs and it is indeed frightening to see what were recently pets now running as a pack and behaving completely differently. Easy to see where the old myths of the werewolves may have originated.

It’s also interesting to compare the North American outdoors with the Southern African outdoors. What is of interest is the dangers posed by bear, moose and wolves. They seem to have little fear of humans. In South Africa organised hikes are conducted in the National Parks to allow visitors to experience the game up close. Rangers are armed and know the game behaviours very well. Nobody is allowed to hike alone.

There are many lessons to be learned from this incident – Be aware of your surroundings, carry a suitable weapon, don’t go alone into dangerous country

Condolences to the family of this young lady.
 
If anyone wants to look into the current wolf situation in The Northwest, specificaly Idaho where they are no longer listed as endangered, there is a good article in the latest issue of Field & Stream. It includes an interview with a hunter who became the target of anti's because he was the first to take a wolf under the new Idaho wolf hunt regulations. It also presents the views of frustrated wildlife biologists who are looking at the impact of the unchecked wolf population on other wildlife, and ways to limit the wolf population for the overall benefit of all of the wildlife.
 
MustardMan said:
I did say Alaska specifically. Even if you include all of the ones that have happened in North America since the 80s, the numbers are still of the same order of magnitude as the number of people who died at Disney.


Statistically, they are not dangerous, compared to many, many other things. I'd be more worried about educating people to stop feeding their kids salty fatty foods than I would to educate them about the dangers of wolf attacks.
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Statistically,Great White Sharks and terrorists aren't dangerous.
I believe the average American is more likely to be hit by lightening twice in the same day then be killed by either.

Now I don't know about you but I'm not swimming with Great White Sharks or going on holiday with a "I hate Muhammad" T-shirt in Pakistan because of any statistic.Common sense can trump statistics.Humans starving have killed and eaten people.I wouldn't expect more from a desperate animal given an opportunely on a silver platter although I'd agree in general humans are not on the menu for our animal friends.

This reminds me of Timothy Treadwell and the tapes he made.He spent all that time with huge brown bears when they had ample access to food without a problem.However it only took one hungry old bear to ruin his day.If Treadwell had armed himself he could have done the same "research" he did without hurting any bears but still could have protected himself and his girlfriend from the exception to the rule.
 
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InfidelShootist, you seem to have only quoted part of MustardMan's post. In the other part - and previously in this thread - he has acknowledged that he is personally aware of the risks associated with wilderness activity, and that he plans and acts accordingly. He has simply been putting the issue of wolf attacks into perspective, and suggesting that the whole thing not be subjected to knee-jerk politicization. Both of which are good points, in my opinion.

All the best,

- Mike
 
Mentor said:
InfidelShootist, you seem to have only quoted part of MustardMan's post. In the other part - and previously in this thread - he has acknowledged that he is personally aware of the risks associated with wilderness activity, and that he plans and acts accordingly. He has simply been putting the issue of wolf attacks into perspective, and suggesting that the whole thing not be subjected to knee-jerk politicization. Both of which are good points, in my opinion.

All the best,

- Mike
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Not picking on or accusing anyone of anything.
Just responding to the argument of statistics that I often here.No offense meant to Mustardman.I should have just responded in a new post.
 
I love nature and wildlife. I'm just not naive about the danger wild animals, and not just predators, can pose. The biggest problem, IMO, is people who put themselves in dangerous positions. This hurts them,and indirectly hurts the animals that they say they love.
 
MustardMan said:
teacher said:
Imagine that..... wonder what PETA or Disney would/will say about this.
Click to expand...

Hm...

Some quick googling shows* one documented case of a death from a wolf attack in Alaska since we settled in the Americas.

By contrast, at least 15 people have died inside of Disney World since the 1980's.

So I guess Disney would say that wolves are pretty harmless, considering more people have died in their park than have died in the entire state of Alaska due to the "harsh reality" of these vicious predators, which have been made out to be harmless puppy dogs, to be loved and cuddled and made kissy faces with, by all those damn ignorant tree huggers. :rolleyes:


But please, don't let facts cloud your little knee-jerk response.


*googling random sources on the web is not a substitute for a rigorous scientific study, and I am not claiming it is. It's good enough for a little perspective on the situation, though.
Click to expand...

"knee-jerk response." :confused: ???? :D

Are you referring to what I said?
Cause if you are .... 'me thinks', you; are greatly confused. ;)

I am "Pro Predator" of the 4 legged & 2 legged flying variety all the way.
However, when it comes down to a confrontation between us and them......
I am "Pro Human" all the way.

I am just saying when around wild animals, one best be prepared for the unexpected... or they may not get a harmonious outcome.

It is tragic what happened to the young lady... no use us trying to second guess it.... only hopefully learn from it.

As far as your comparing this to Disney World......
.....where in the world did you dream that comparison up???
We are talking about wild animals in the great outdoors.

I don't think they have wolf packs, bears, mountain lions, moose, deer, or hippos running around in Disney World......... do they?

Please don't let these facts cloud your response to this post, straight forward answers to the simple questions would be appreciated.

Regards,
Cp
 
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