Wolves and Humans

It’s International Wolf Day today. Why not make a difference for wolves by booking your place on White Wilderness: Carpathian Wolf Watch, a long-running citizen science project monitoring wolf numbers in the Tatra Mountains of Slovakia. Learn to track wolves and lynx in the snow and experience winter in beautiful mountain scenery, coming home each afternoon to warm Slovak hospitality. Places are available for January/February 2025 - you can join for one, two or three weeks.

Carpathian Wolf Watch | Wolves and Humans Wolves and Humans has worked with the Slovak Wildlife Society and local communities in Slovakia since 1999 to carry out research on wolf ecology and numbers, address and prevent conflicts between wolves and people, improve public knowledge and acceptance and reduce the motivation for these predators...

A well balanced article about coexistence between wolves and people in northern Portugal. Attitudes towards wolves tend to be more positive where there has been a continuous history of coexistence, and where the tradition of using livestock guarding dogs to protect flocks has been maintained. What lessons can be learned to revive this culture (most countries in Europe have their own traditional livestock guarding dog breeds) where wolves are returning after a sometimes long absence?

'My two favourite animals are sheep and wolves'. In Portugal’s Montesinho, shepherds peacefully coexist alongside wolves Whilst Europe grapples with how to deal with growing wolf populations, this mountainous region of Portugal has coexisted with the predators for centuries.

Evidence of the wolf in England is present everywhere - from stories passed through the generations, to old bones excavated from underground, and even to the names of our villages.

This map shows just a few examples of villages named after wolves, and here are what they mean:

The Old Norse for wolf, 'ulfr', could lead to the derivative 'ul', used to name Uldale and Ulverston. Whilst Uldale simply means 'wolves' valley', the town Ulverston was recorded in 1086 as Ulvrestun, deriving from an Old Norse family name Úlfarr - which means ‘wolf warrior’ - and combining with 'tun', which means farm or homestead, to make 'the wolf warrior's farmstead'. The town's coat of arms still has a wolf on it to this day.

Moving further south, towns tend to begin with 'wool' or 'wol', which could be derived from the Old English for wolf, 'wulf'. Woolpit, for example, probably signified a pit used to trap wolves in; Woolley a wolves' clearing; Woolacombe a wolves' valley; Wolbrough a wolves' hill; and Great/Little Wolford the site of a lookout for wolves.

Whether or not the people of Britain past coexisted with wolves, their place names were at least inspired by them - maybe one day, the wolf will walk again through the places which were inspired by its name.

Socks that save wolves! Treat yourself or an animal lover in your life to a pair of Bare Kind's bamboo Save the Wolves socks this summer, and Wolves and Humans will receive a donation for each pair purchased.

Save the Wolves Bamboo Socks Green bamboo socks that save the wolves. Thermoregulating, sweat-wicking and soft, these are great for hiking socks and sports socks. Gift to an animal lover today!

Wolves and Humans was pleased to be invited to take part in a Devon Rewilding Network site visit to Rewilding Hill Crest near Exeter, coincidentally also where the Wolves and Humans office is! It was an inspiring day of talks and discussion about rewilding, people, sheep, and wolves!

A great weekend of talks and discussion about the wolf at Rewilding Coombeshead, hosted by Derek Gow and sponsored by Wolves and Humans. Speakers from the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Iraq shared their knowledge and experience in a diverse range of topics including paleo-archaeology and the history of wolves in the UK, why we need wolves in our ecosystems, how people in the Netherlands and Germany are adapting to the return of the wolf, and the challenges of wildlife protection in the Middle East. Excellent questions were asked by an audience including many rewilders from organisations and projects large and small, eager to learn. New connections were made and old ones renewed, and although still a way off, the conversation about returning the wolf to Britain took a step forward. Congratulations to all involved.

Help build a new enclosure for rescued wolves in Poland. Non-Polish speakers will need to use Google translate on the appeal page, but its a worthwhile cause that our colleagues at Association for Nature WOLF are supporting.

Zbudujmy dom dla Luny, Kamotsa i Amaroka Luna, Kamots i Amarok, wilki, które na skutek ludzkiej niewiedzy i źle rozumianej empatii zostały pozbawione szans na życie wśród swoich dzikich wilczych pob...

Robin Rigg of our partner organisation the Slovak Wildlife Society gives a calm, practical and factual response to recent incidents involving brown bears in Slovakia, in this excellent interview. Use Google Translate or equivalent to read in English.

Medvedie útoky skúma 25 rokov / Problémového medveďa, ktorý sa vracia, treba odstrániť. Inak robí ostatným medvediu službu Robin Rigg tvrdí, že hoci strety človeka s medveďom pribúdajú, stále nejde o predačné útoky ako z hollywoodskeho filmu.

Student tickets now available for this exciting event.

Another groundbreaking symposium brought to you by KEEP IT WILD​, Kindly sponsored by Wolves and Humans Foundation
Again, KEEP IT WILD have brought together an extraordinary line up of speakers. We are thrilled to be featuring experienced Wolf experts from North America and throughout Europe.
We will be converging in the 'Strawditorium' at Rewilding Coombeshead in Devon to share their knowledge and experience for an unmissable weekend! We'll be tackling the thorny issues, facilitating much needed conversations, raising the bar on nature recovery. Understanding how farmers co exist with this iconic species in some of the most intensively farmed countries of the world. May 31st- June 2nd. Don't miss it! https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/keep-it-wild/t-galrpjm

A three-day international wolf symposium will take place at Rewilding Coombeshead in Devon in May, sponsored by Wolves and Humans. With speakers so far confirmed from from Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the USA and UK, the focus will be on the issues surrounding the return of the wolf to western Europe and what lessons we can learn from this in the UK, as well as the history of the wolf in the British Isles. It promises to be a fascinating event with the opportunity to discuss the future of this charismatic predator in Europe with people involved on the ground, and learn about its long history in the UK and why some people believe it should be brought back. Book your tickets here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/keep-it-wild/wolf/2023-09-08/18:00/t-galrpjm

This looks like a great weekend discussing the wolf and the potential for its return to the UK.

"A conversation starter about a beast we cannot talk about. The Wolf more than any other species symbolises the impossibility of wildness lost. A full stop in our ability to, unfettered, tear apart the natural fabric of Britain."

Tickets in the link below.

WOLF at Rewilding Coombeshead Glamping and Courses Tickets are now available for WOLF at Rewilding Coombeshead Glamping and Courses, Lifton on Fri 31 May 2024 at 6:00PM. Click the link for further information and to secure your tickets now!

A great evening presenting the work of Wolves and Humans and discussing rewilding and reintroduction of wolves and lynx with Richard Brazier of Exeter University, Alastair Driver of Rewilding Britain and the inimitable Derek Gow. It was good to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. The event was to mark the publication of Derek’s new book “Hunt for the Shadow Wolf: The lost history of wolves in Britain and the myths and stories that surround them”.

The latest issue of BBC Wildlife magazine has a cover feature on wolves by Derek Gow, who has a new book, "Hunt for the Shadow Wolf: The lost history of wolves in Britain and the myths and stories that surround them", published this week. Join Derek, Rewilding Britain Director Alastair Driver and Wolves and Humans director Richard Morley at Exeter University on March 13th, for an evening talking about wolves in Britain, past present and future. Tickets available here: https://store.exeter.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/campus-services/events/hunt-for-the-shadow-wolf-exploring-the-past-present-and-future-of-the-wolf-in-britain

Wolves and Humans will be joining the discussion about returning the wolf to the UK at Exeter University on 13th March, alongside conservationist and rewilder Derek Gow and Rewilding Britain director Alastair Driver. It should be a lively and informative evening. For details and booking click on the link below.

CREWW Co-Director to facilitate wolf rewilding discussion The University team at the Centre for Resilience in Environment Water and Waste (CREWW) was happy to announce today an upcoming event focused around the impacts of rewilding in the UK. The event, hosted on

Socks that help wolves! Bare Kind's bamboo socks with an attractive wolf design not only look good and are comfortable, but 10% of the profit from each pair sold goes towards our work monitoring wolves in the Carpathian Mountains and helping to ensure sustainable management of the species.

Get yours here today:

Save the Wolves Bamboo Socks Green bamboo socks that save the wolves. Thermoregulating, sweat-wicking and soft, these are great for hiking socks and sports socks. Gift to an animal lover today!

Another successful White Wilderness in the snowy Tatra Mountains of Slovakia has just finished. 2024 was a record year, with nearly 150 genetic samples collected to help estimate the numbers of wolves and lynx ever more accurately and ensure sustainable management of these species in the country. Dates for 2025 have just been released, so if you are interested in joining this citizen science project and making a vital contribution to conservation of large carnivores in the Carpathians, as well as having a lot of fun with like-minded people and enjoying fantastic Slovak hospitality, then head to: http://slovakwildlife.org/en/activities/whitewilderness for more information and how to book.

A bit of fun for the holiday season from our colleagues in Belarus…

Hey, everyone! Check out our new video of lynx and wolf selfies that we got using camera-trapping. You’ll see some funny reactions from these wild animals. Watch and share if you like it! -->>
https://youtu.be/Ier44IJqXac

Last week Wolves and Humans was at Ide Primary School in Devon, talking to Year 3 pupils about wolves. It was a lively afternoon with lots of questions and enthusiasm for the idea of bringing wolves back to the UK. The children have been studying the excellent book 'The Last Wolf' by Mini Grey this term, as part of their author work.

Last few places now left! Don’t miss out on your chance to join a great team tracking wolves and lynx as part of a research and monitoring project in the Carpathian Mountains this winter. No previous experience needed. Click on the link for more details and to book.

http://slovakwildlife.org/en/activities/whitewilderness

These green bamboo socks from Bare Kind help save wolves and make a great stocking filler for Christmas! Buy today, and Wolves and Humans will receive 10% of the profit to help our work monitoring wolf populations in the Carpathian Mountains.

Save the Wolves Bamboo Socks Green bamboo socks that save the wolves. Thermoregulating, sweat-wicking and soft, these are great for hiking socks and sports socks. Gift to an animal lover today!

Want to learn how to monitor wolf and lynx populations and take part in a long-running citizen science project in the stunning Tatra Mountains of Slovakia? There is still time to book your place on Carpathian Wolf Watch: White Wilderness in January 2024. Last year participants found several fresh wolf kills, heard wolves howling and saw a bear, as well as collecting vital genetic samples, used to estimate wolf and lynx numbers and ensure sustainable management in the Carpathian region. Enjoy hearty local food and the company of like-minded people, and learn how people live alongside large carnivores in modern Europe. For more details click here: http://slovakwildlife.org/en/activities/whitewilderness

A percentage of sales of Bare Kind's wolf socks goes to the Wolves and Humans Foundation. A great stocking filler this Christmas!

William the Wolf and her friends will thank you for purchasing these Animal Saving Socks 10% Of Profits Donated To Animals

Wolves are not every rewilder's cup of tea, but they were present in Britain until as late as the 18th century, and are arguably an essential component of restoring natural processes to our depleted ecosystems. You are invited to join Derek Gow and wolf experts from Europe and North America at Rewilding Coombeshead in Devon, for a three-day symposium billed as "A conversation starter about a beast we cannot talk about." This promises to be a fascinating, informative and lively event, and Wolves and Humans will be attending - see you there?

Click on the link below for more details and tickets.

WOLF at Rewilding Coombeshead Glamping and Courses Tickets are now available for WOLF at Rewilding Coombeshead Glamping and Courses, Lifton on Fri 31 May 2024 at 6:00PM. Click the link for further information and to secure your tickets now!

The countdown to White Wilderness 2024 has begun! Book your wolf and lynx tracking adventure in the beautiful snow-covered Tatra Mountains today, and join a long-running citizen science project helping to ensure a future for large carnivores in Slovakia. No previous experience needed. Find all the details you need to take part here: http://slovakwildlife.org/en/activities/whitewilderness

We are delighted to announce that environmentally friendly bamboo sock company Bare Kind have agreed to donate 10% of profits from sales of their wolf design socks to Wolves and Humans, to support the Carpathian Wolf Watch project in the Tatra Mountains of Slovakia.

These comfortable and eye-catching socks make a great gift, or you could just treat yourself, at: https://bit.ly/3YWlK2X

A big thank you to all the team at Bare Kind.

Save the Wolves Bamboo Socks Green bamboo socks that save the wolves. Thermoregulating, sweat-wicking and soft, these are great for hiking socks and sports socks. Gift to an animal lover today!

The issues surrounding wolf reintroduction in the UK are undoubtedly complex, but George Monbiot has a point when he says “People assume the role of wild predators, limiting the number of herbivores and moving them around. That’s fine as far as it goes. But we’re not very good at it.” With a few exceptions, high profile rewilders in Britain balk at the idea of wolves, but can we really rewild - essentially restoring natural systems to the point where they can be self-sustaining - without reinstating our top predators?

Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves | George Monbiot Humans have failed to keep numbers down. Reintroduce these predators, and let them get on with the job, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

"The progression from over-exploitation to near-catastrophic collapse, to conservation intervention to conservation success to increased conflict with humans and then calls for culling needs to be broken early, before increasing numbers become a problem. One way to enhance co-existence is to find a means to pivot the predator from problem to opportunity." - from Adam Hart's highly recommended new book The Deadly Balance: Predators and People in a Crowded World.

Supporting our colleague Professor Sidorovich in these difficult times is worth the price of a cup of coffee (or two!).

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/zoologyby

An evocative and inspiring new blog post by reintroduction specialist Roy Dennis, about returning lynx to Scotland.

The Art of the Impossible - Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation I’m sitting in one of my favourite places in our home; a large upstairs window that looks out over the woods and fields. Below me is a small burn running from the hills on its way to the Moray Firth. It’s twisty and there’s a flooded pool where a clear freshwater spring comes out from […]

The dates for Carpathian Wolf-Watch: White Wilderness 2024 have been announced! Click on the link below to reserve your place, and take part in a long-running citizen science project monitoring wolf and lynx populations in the Tatra Mountains of Slovakia.

http://slovakwildlife.org/en/activities/whitewilderness