Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?

For centuries as dogs became our best friends, their wolf ancestor, has had a bad press. Negative myths and children’s stories have driven them to the brink of extinction even though they seldom attack humans and never dress up as grandmothers.

But today they are making a comeback in many parts of the world. 

In the small German town of Merzig near the border with Luxemburg, Werner Freund, a 79-year-old former German paratrooper, has spent the past 40 years trying to dispel the negative image of the wolf.

Known locally as the Wolfman, Freund runs a 25-acre sanctuary where he walks among 29 wolves wearing a smock that smells strongly of animal fat and blood. In his sanctuary Werner transforms himself into the alpha male by getting meat and feeding the animals from his own mouth.

"To earn their respect, one must become a wolf, and that is what I am to them – their leader,” he says...

“Fairy tales, that’s what gave them a bad name,” he said. “Red Riding Hood and all that. These are beautiful animals and the person who says they shouldn’t be in the wild might as well not care about what happens to the elephant on the plains of Africa. We are all enriched by their presence, by the simple fact that they are among us."

Although the chance of a human being bitten by wolf is about the same as the chance of being bitten by a werewolf, Werner makes it clear that these beautiful animals are not just big dogs.

"They are wild animals and always will be."

Source

Thanks to Denny

Comments

[Deb in AZ]

Beautiful miss-understood animals, it's sad.

[geogia little pea]

So many animals get a bad rap or worse, get culled or killed, just because they're inconvenient or not cute or cuddly. Thank goodness there are people like Werner around, ready to dispel myths.

[jet]

they are so huuuuuge :)

I think it is important we don't forget that the dogs we treasure evolved from these beauties

[Sherry in MT]

He is correct in that we were taught from a young age that wolves were evil. They are part of the circle of life and nature just as an elephant (or lion). I'm amazed at how large they are in the photo!

[Becky]

I'm thinking I could not do the feed by mouth thing.

[Linda]

That wolf has a smile as it is taking the meat!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

[Pup Fan]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing.

[Jodi]

i wouldn't be feeding them from my mouth!!

[Kirsten]

Now that's a level of commitment even I would have trouble realizing.

[yellowdoggranny]

great story..loved it..
if you want to learn about a different wolf..read a book called damn, can't remember..I'll find it and get back to you..its great

[Karen Friesecke]

I never had a negative opinion of wolves. When I was 10, I saw the movie Never Cry Wolf and then went on to read the book that it was based upon. It demonstrates how wolves form a cohesive family and how they all work together to raise the puppies. It's a great film. Very wolf positive.

[Jan]

Thank you. YDG and I couldn't remember the name of the book, Never Cry Wolf  by Farley Mowat, It is a classic

[Jackie Bouchard]

I love wolves. So gorgeous. Funny, I never thought of them as evil or scary (like the fairy tales tell us to). Guess I just always saw them as big wild dogs. Interesting post!

[Jen @MyBrownNewfies]

I've always admired the beauty of wolves but I can't get over the fact that he wears a smock that smells strongly of animal fat and blood around the wolves. This just seems like an accident waiting to happen.

[Donna]

I love wolves, but you lost me HERE "getting meat and feeding the animals from his own mouth"

Gross. LOL!