2 Wolves Escape from Predator World in Branson West

[Gary Lange]

Silver Mallard I don't like to be to negative and start and bad feelings but you know absolutly nothing about Wolves or most likely animals at all. The Eskimoses (sp) learned to hunt from observing the Wolve and lived amoung them for many, many years. Check for the last 50 to 100 years and see how many wolves have attacked people. Then check on the Dog that is mans best friend. I think this whole discussion has gotten out of hand myself and people that don't have a clue are the ones that make things bad for all.

[SilverMallard]

The way they escaped was covered in detail with the owner of Predator World on the local news the past couple of nights. They showed the chewed up pieces of wire and demonstrated its strength and its normal uses. The pens were shown as well as the gate they escaped through. And they dug under the secondary perimeter fence. The State has made a public statement that Predator World was in 100% compliance and demonstrated no negligence.

Gary, I grew up around wolves and coyotes...and mountain lions and small bears. I am a wilderness survival instructor with the American Camping Assn. And I have held numerous predator control permits issued by multiple states and the federal gov't. I used to be a trip leader with a major national organization that led backpacking photography trips into Grizzly Bear country. And I was a professional dog trainer for many, many years for clients including the now-former CEO of Purina. So your assessment of my knowledge, background, and expertise is of little value to me.

BTW, there are more people injured by aggressive COWS in this country every year than there are by ALL wild animals combined. And more people die each year world-wide from coconuts falling from trees than from shark attacks.

But none of that matters when YOU are the one of five people attacked by a shark, or one of the 20 or so attacked by a bear, or the only one attacked by a pack of wolves. Doctors and pharmacists kill more Americans every year with prescription medications than anything else but car accidents. And we aren't hunting doctors and pharmacists to extinction.

I think some here are trying to ascribe a position to me that I have not taken, and now feel a need to "discredit" my statements...that they have misunderstood. That is NOT a reflection on my intelligence or education. It is a reflection upon theirs.

[Rusty]

It appears a nerve has been hit, when one thinks ones intelligence is questioned. Sorry you feel that way. I thought it was a healthy and informative debate. I guess the tempo changed when this statement was used, "And there was a good reason why we wiped them out."

[crappiefisherman]

I never was to hip on those dodo birds either , He is Prolly rite

[SilverMallard]

It appears a nerve has been hit, when one thinks ones intelligence is questioned. Sorry you feel that way. I thought it was a healthy and informative debate. I guess the tempo changed when this statement was used, "And there was a good reason why we wiped them out."

The "good reason" was costly livestock predation combined with an occassional attack on humans to fuel the fires. During those days, we also wiped out the buffalo, hunted whitetail deer and elk to near-extinction in some parts of the US, drastically reduced the small game and furbearer populations, and deforested about 60% of the continent. We drained 75% of the nation's wetlands. Folks weren't very eco-conscious back then. But even today, wolves and livestock don't mix well. And that area near DD and 13 isn't exactly farm country. It's surburban housing and tourist resorts with some forested rough terrain interspersed in small tracts. Not very good wolf habitat for wild wolves, let alone for a pair raised in captivity. That's why I predict they will end up dead...sooner rather than later.

And...for the record...I think that's unfortunate.

So, you agree that the attempts to discredit my explanation of how they escaped was just because a few people mistakenly thought I was advocating their intentional eradication? How intellectually dishonest. Where I come from, grown men go out and find the facts before they accuse someone of lying or not knowing what they are talking about. And THAT leads to interesting and healthy debate.

[Rusty]

For what it is worth. I assumed the information you were giving about the escape was from an outside source, not from you personally. If that is the way you construed that, oh well.

Honestly, if you hadn't seen the video/photos of the chewed up fence, what would you think?

As I stated earlier, I was answering to statements discussed here. I guess if I am not privy to the same information as some I should cower in the corner and say nothing.

The intelligence issue wasn't questioned until you said something. I like to rely on the quote, "All men are created equal". I see some don't, and that is fine too.

I am finished with this topic, moving on.

[SilverMallard]

No, russ, I was responding to 3-4 different posts with that one. The reference to intelligence and education was directed SPECIFICALLY to Gary Lange in response to his critique of my famiarity with wild animals, wolves, and dogs...or whatever.

Some of you fellas would do well to read stuff more closely before replying if something rubs you the wrong way. Remember all that sentence diagramming we did in secondary school? There was a reason for it.

[drbewley]

I'm reminded of Warren Zevon. No wait, that was werewolves. Never mind.

[Kicknbass]

My bet is that the Wolves come from a long line of captive animals that could no more fend for themselves than my Lab. They will turn up hanging around anyone that is willing to feed them, or as a traffic fatality. I wouldn't be anymore worried about these animals than I would any other large stray dog.

[Randall]

i'm sure that instinct will allow the wolves to successfully hunt and survive in the "wild". just because an animal is domesticated, or bred in captivity doesn't mean that they lose all ability to survive in the wild. national geographic has had several shows about animals bred in captivity being... undomesticated by being taught to hunt by people in ways that allow their instincts to take over and enable them to survive in the wild. in the case of these two wolves, they don't have anyone to teach them to hunt, but i believe they will survive. based on as many animals as our golden retriever used to bring home to show us, i'm positive that without interference from men, the wolves are able to survive by hunting easier prey: small animals, livestock and if they become desperate enough, scavenging dead animals, or raiding garbage cans. its possible that there may be attempted predation on a child, but they'll most likely try to avoid human contact. remember, they were not pets and they most likely do not like people... if nothing else, they probably associate us with cages. if somebody lacks the brainpower to stay away from the pups, they'll likely pay for their mistake.