…and now for something completely different – The UK Wolf Conservation Trust

As I am sure you are aware, we just had a long weekend in the UK. Did not go to work on Monday – so my family decided to go and visit the UK Wolf Conservation Trust in Beenham, Berkshire. Monday was Open Day and 1000s of people seem to have join us which meant it was a little difficult to see the animals but toward the end of our visit we managed to get some good views.

Why did I feel so unconfortable even disappointed?

•  the pens – large enough but still prisons with high fences

•  2/3 wolves per pen – I always thought that wolves live in large packs –

•  the relationship between the keepers and the wolves – I felt these beautiful animals were made to behave as pet dogs – they came to be fed little morsels handed by the keeper, came for a tickle and a cuddle.
• it feels that these noble creatures are being used once again to make us feel better as saviours of the endangered species.

I am not sure I agree with the aim of the Trust as the money collected in the UK is sent out to other countries for the rehabilitation of the wolves. Why not spend it to rehabilitate the wolves in the UK? I am sure the hunters would hate wolves being reinstated as they might damage the grouse and deer population – so no wolves in the UK for the foreseable future.

O’Reilly use a wolf too on the cover of Mastering Algorithms with Perl – a beautiful illustration by Lorrie LeJeune. There you will find a lot of information on our friend the Canis Lupus.