Barry Lopez examines the gray wolf through the conflicting lenses of biological science, indigenous mythology, and historical prejudice. He documents specific pack behaviors, such as the social hierarchy of alpha pairs and the mechanics of the territorial scent-marking. Beyond field biology, the text analyzes the cultural construction of the wolf as a demonic figure in European folklore, contrasting this with the nuanced ecological integration practiced by the Nunamiut Eskimo. Lopez details the systematic eradication efforts in North America, highlighting how human projections of malice fueled bounty hunting and mass poisoning campaigns.
This book is intended for naturalists, historians, and ecologists interested in the intersection of zoology and human sociology. Readers learn to distinguish between the physical animal—an apex predator with sophisticated hunting strategies—and the metaphorical beast created by human fear. The text provides a framework for understanding how folklore dictates environmental policy. Someone finishing this volume understands that the survival of a species depends as much on human perception and cultural shift as it does on legislative protection or habitat conservation.
- Published
- 1978
- Language
- EN
