A History of Attitudes Toward Wolves

by Colette Palamar, M.S., Environmental Science, University of Idaho

Introduction

Evil. Thieves. Vile. Murderers. Creatures of the Night, walking in silent communion with theDevil. Wolves. Since ancient times humans often conceived of the wolf as a dark and evil creature. Long a symbol of the unruliness of nature, wolves represent the unholy wild. Before the arrival of the European immigrants, the North American continent literally teemed with wolves. Wolves once ranged across the North American continent from Alaska to Mexico and from coast to coast. The arrival of the Europeans changed that very quickly. Why? What was it about the wolf that caused people to hunt it to the brink of extinction? What circumstances contributed to the European American hatred of the wolf? What were their underlying beliefs? What methods were used to catch so many wolves? Were there laws in place that supported wolf extermination? What philosophies helped create the concept of the wolf as evil? What maintained this conception for such an extended period of time? What does one's perception of the wolf say about one's views of the human place in nature?

In this series of short articles I will address these and other questions relating to the history of the wolves' downfall in the continental United States. I will first examine European views of the wolf through mythology, fairy tales and fables. I will then contrast the European view of wolves with the view held by several Pacific Northwest Native American tribes as evidenced in their mythology and rituals. Working from the wolf-symbol portrayed in literature, I will examine the European shift from a holistic conception of nature and the world to a contrasting mechanistic view. I will then explain how this shift influenced perceptions of wolves. After explaining the symbolic wolf, I will look at why the European Americans felt so compelled to destroy this animal. I will examine moral and religious factors as well as biological and economic circumstances influencing the settlers destruction of the land and the wolf. I will then look at ways the European settlers accomplished the task of wolf population decimation: bounties, hunting, trapping, and poisoning, among others. Next, I will contrast the wolf-symbol with the reality of wolves by explaining basic biological and sociological information about wolves. The final section of this chapter will explain the deep conceptual connections between the logic of domination, patriarchy, traditional views of nature and women, and the extermination of wolves.