The Big, Bad Wolf ?

This winter has been pretty cold so far, and it got me thinking of an old, strange story: and then I let my brain off the leash, so to speak.

According to the legend the Cailleach, or the old woman of the hills rides through the winter winds on the back of a wolf, the madadh allaidh, bringing cold and blizzards to the Highlands. She’s considered to be the goddess of the winter, and the harbinger of the cold, of darkness and death. Traditionally, her reign would last until mid April and the Teuchat Storm, which would see the snows of winter replaced finally by the warm winds of spring and summer. She would then retire to the mountains, many of which take her name, to bide her time and the next chill blast.

It is interesting though that in the legend the Cailleach is seen to be riding on the back of a wolf, that most enigmatic of animals that once roamed our forests and hills. Indeed, the wolf is so synonymous with winter that in Gaelic January is Am Faoilleach, the Wolf Month. This is in keeping with northern European tradition. In Prussia for example, legend tells of a fearsome beast, the Wolf of Magdeburg, terrorising the poor folks of the villages in mid winter. These recurring stories melded myth with truth, and gave rise to many of the fairytales of our popular imagination – big bad wolves, huffing and puffing away or disguising themselves as little old ladies, lying in wait for the hapless granddaughter. They probably also lie at the root of the myth of the Werewolf. Perhaps more than any other animal, the wolf has played major role in shaping our folklore – in the Celtic world wolves were seen as part of a shape-shifting belief, but not overtly feared. Yet, for all that, no other animal has been persecuted, feared and hated as Canis Lupus. Why that should be, would be the subject of a book rather than a blog, but let’s look at the relationship here in Scotland.

The wolf certainly made it to Scotland before man, and found the great forest and mountains, rich in deer, wild boar, and a myriad of other potential prey – which they shared in the woods with bears and lynx. Wolves are top predators no doubt, fierce, highly intelligent pack hunters; but, we are simply not on the menu. Rather, it was the competition between us and them for resources that gave rise to the conflict. As long as there was vast forest, wolves and man rarely had to come into contact, but by a thousand years ago, our demand for more and more land and the increase in farming, we had encroached deep into the kingdom of this shy, elusive and misunderstood animal.

It is generally accepted that most of our folk memory, and thus the folklore that has come down to us, was generated between 1000 and 1500. We had eradicated bears, lynx and elk from Scotland by this time, and that probably is why they play little or no part in our myths and legends; the wolf on the other hand began to play an increasingly important part in our psyche – and one that was become increasingly more sinister. Wolf attacks on people though, never mind the idea of terrorising villages, were rare, seriously rare – although with rabies present in those far off days, there may well have been occasions when maddened by this horrific disease, and starved, they did strike.

I think the main problem were the attacks on livestock rather than people. Cattle, goats and foul were the mainstay of the population – they not only relied on them for eating, but also as currency and a way of paying rent. A wolf that had wandered into a community and had started munching its way through hens and calves would have had to be dealt with. Better to hype up the scenario: it might get you some help from the landlord, or the crown authorities – so, it goes from being a chicken thief to a child killer, and before you know it hunting parties were off into the forests and hills. It was also considered part of your civic duty to hunt wolves. If that didn’t work, then the landlords would encourage their tenants by rent reductions and rewards for every head of wolf brought before them. Travellers to Scotland in the early 17th century spoke of wolves in the Angus Glens only feeding on wild animals, but you get the feeling that wasn’t the norm, nor cared about as the next hunt prepared itself.

Throughout the 16th and early 17th centuries, land-owners across the country established special refuges, known as Spittals (Gaelic: spideal – borrowed from the same English root as the word hospital), such as the Spittal of Glenshee, Spittal of Glen Muick and Dalnaspidal. The fact that these place-name remnants are to be found in the heart of the Grampian Mountains in the most remote parts of the country, are either a reflection of the last stronghold of the wolf, or that they served a more general place of shelter. Originally, spittals were probably used as meeting points for hunts and to protect the community from a perceived wolf attack, but by 1650 with numbers so low, this purpose must have become all but redundant – but, it is likely that their older use remained in the folk memory.

It wasn’t just the hunts of course, but the loss of habitat that drove the Scottish Wolf to extinction. Until 1600, the great Caledonian Pineforest of the Highlands remained fairly intact; in the decades that followed huge sections of this ancient woodland would be cut down or burnt. Wolves need really big territories, preferably without any human presence near by. As their natural habitat dwindled, not only did it curtail their range and bring them into contact with man, but it would also see the demise of much of their prey as well – and so, naturally the wolf turned to attacking livestock. It is perhaps significant that both the beaver and the wild boar went extinct in the century before the wolf, and both red deer and hares adapted to the open moor or grasslands, away from the forest. It was a vicious circle: with only one outcome.

According to the story, the last wolf killed in Scotland was shot by James MacQueen in 1743 in the Findhorn Valley near Tomatin. This is now pretty much dismissed as a folk tale, told to an eager traveller in the 1830s. Another traveller, Mr Sibbald, wrote in 1684 that wolves had been eradicated from the Highlands, and this seems to be roughly when the last reports in estate ledgers seem to have been recorded. Another report suggests that a wolf had been seen in Sutherland in the 1690s. Sutherland is a very remote part of the country and it is possible that this could have been the last refuge. So, I think we can say with some certainty that the Scottish Wolf became extinct by 1700 at the latest: a sad, but inevitable demise, given our ancestors’ love-hate relationship with this wonderful and beautiful animal over the last thousand years.

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Harry Connors 02/03/2010 11:16 PM

Here in the US the wolf was largely wiped out due to a perceived threat to livestock. I've heard that there was never a documented case of wolves killing people in the US, but I've wondered a bit about that word, "documented." It strikes me that, if the standard of documentation is high enough, nothing that happens in the wilderness is "documented." Few victims fill out forms describing how they were killed. :-) And, I have a bit of a problem imagining that a wolf pack will avoid weak humans if hungry. Still, the notions of packs of wolves hunting down and killing reasonably healthy adult humans belong in the realm of fiction. I find it interesting that the reality of European wolves is similar to the North American species.

Here, though wolves are making a comeback. My state, Michigan, has viable populations in both the Upper and Northern Lower Peninsulas. http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Wolf/aboutwolves/r3wolfrec.htm The wolves are a long way from population centers in the Southern Lower Peninsula. I've never seen one--most people here haven't.

What I have seen, and heard, are coyotes. They aren't native to this area but, unlike the wolves, they do okay near human populations and have been expanding their territory despite aggressive eradication efforts. There are probably some near here, but they tend to be unseen unless you get lucky.

Dave McNicoll 02/04/2010 02:55 PM

Hi Harry
Good to hear from you again.
Firstly, I have to declare some envy that you live in a part of the world where wolves still live, and you echo many of the thoughts and concerns that I've heard from people from Sweden, where wolves are now coming into the towns in the way we have urban foxes. Still, that is all better than living where they are now long gone, never to return.

I also agree that in the past wolves may have hunted people, but it would have to be in extreme circumstances, and at the end of the day you can't blame the wolf if they're driven to such dire straits. But, I'm sure the odd attack that did happen helped to stoke the fire and fan the flames in a more distant, and less educated age.

There have been calls to re-introduce the wolf into the Highlands. Personally, while I'd love to see these wonderful animals back in the mountains it just ain't feasible - the Highlands simply don't have enough suitable land to make it work. I think it would be better that money were spent protecting the wild animals we do have, like the Wildcat, Capercaillie, Golden Eagles and Pine Martens.

Harry Connors 02/04/2010 04:01 PM

Oh, I don't think wolves are ever "to blame." They're just doing what comes naturally. Humans know right from wrong.

The argument that there wasn't enough suitable land was made for the Yellowstone ecosystem back in the 1980s when reintroduction of wolves was being debated. That's been a major success story. Even back then it was apparent that lack of wolves led to overgrazing by herbivores which degraded habitat for smaller animals. If wolves are reintroduced to the Highlands, expect them to be a "poster animal" for a protected area where much else will thrive.

Supposedly, some Indians used to consider deer and wolves to be linked. Healthy wolves and healthy deer went together.

I may have seen a wolf once, over 30 years ago back in west Texas. I was about 50 miles from the Rio Grande and wolves were known to be resident on the other side. I was walking up a dry creek bed when suddenly a large canine appeared a short distance from me. We both stood in shock. He recovered first and just disappeared. The locals insisted they had no wolves and suggested a dog or coyote/dog cross (coyotes are more likely to kill dogs). I didn't have more than a few seconds to observe and really can't swear it was a wolf. But, it didn't look like anything else (certainly not like a coyote).

I live hundreds of miles from the nearest wolf habitat. Wolves aren't common, and are rarely seen, in the areas they do inhabit. Like coyotes around here, you have to work hard at seeing them. I've never seen a Michigan wolf. But, maybe some day--probably while I'm fishing--a wolf will appear. Well, a guy can dream, can't he. :-)

Dave McNicoll 02/04/2010 04:58 PM

I'm with you in the dreaming department. My father is a forester, and has seen his fair share of Eagles, Wildcats and Pine Martens - I have seen them myself, but only fleetingly, so I understand where you come from.

The area question in Scotland is very different from Yellowstone. The tree-line in the Highlands is around 1500ft, and most of the Highlands is above that. The native forest now only covers 80 sq miles. The rest is pretty much rough grazing, mono-culture forestry or moorland. Believe me, a lot would have to be done to create the kind of environment that could sustain several packs to then have a proper natural breeding programme.

When you come from a wee island like I do, things get pretty crowded - and as I said, with Eagles, Wildcats, Capercaillie, Black Cock and Pine Martens on the brink, I'd rather we made sure they were protected than worry about re-introducing an animal that died out due to a lack of habitat (at a time when there was a hell of a lot more suitable habitat than now). I'd love to see wolves in the Caledonian Forest, but at the end of the day, I'd rather make sure that we still had Wildcats there.

Harry Connors 02/12/2010 11:55 PM

This evening I heard a story on the news. It seems there is a coyote in Eastpointe which may have killed a cat. Now Eastpointe is an inner suburb of Detroit, and much closer to Detroit than I live. Eastpointe is far too urban for my taste.

Essentially, a coyote is a small wolf. They look a bit bigger than they are due to long hair. I understand that "spirit wolf" was one of the Indian names for coyote. They are the trickster of Indian legends. They are renowned for their ability to avoid traps and remain invisible. Unlike their larger brethren, they manage to tolerate, and even thrive in, human presence. They are not native to this area but have expanded their range due to a lack of competing predators. Cowboys knew them as "song dogs" and I often hear them howling in the evenings while camping by my favorite trout stream.

Despite the fact that they are common I see them rarely. Usually, one will be crossing a field at dusk or dawn and I will spot him. It's a bit of magic and never lasts long. A true wolf is much rarer and they live farther to the north than I usually get.

I can appreciate your wanting to save what is there. The Highlands will be poorer without eagles or wildcats.

Harry Connors 02/27/2010 05:10 PM

There's an article about wolves in the northern Rockies (primarily Yellowstone) in the March 2010 issue of National Geographic. Part of the story is about conflicts with humans (no humans have been attacked) but quite a lot of it is about how the lack of wolves impacted the ecology and how their reintroduction has resulted in changes.

Elly Welch 03/09/2010 09:31 AM

Hi Dave,

Do you speak Gaelic? We are looking for a person with gaelic to talk about wolves / wolf folklore for a BBC Alba documentary...just came across this and wondered...

Best wishes Elly ellywelch@hebrides.net

PANALBA

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