anthrozoology.org

McGhee, R.

Alternatives Journal, v. 28, p. 12. 2002

This was a new development in biology and history. For the first time, hunting parties and camp groups composed of two distinct species began to spread across the landscapes of the world. It makes little sense to think of this process as one in which early humans "domesticated" the wolf. Aside from the human use of simple tools, there was probably little difference in the complexity of hunting patterns or social organization between early human bands and wolf packs. If humans domesticated the wolf, is it not equally probable that wolves domesticated humans? Were the changes that developed between wolf and dog any more significant than those that occurred to early humans through their constant association with canids? If so, how do we explain the fear and loathing that seem to be the central emotions that most human societies generate toward the wolf? Biologists assure us that, despite the tales of slavering packs pursuing hapless troika-drivers across the Russian steppe, or of Canadian pioneers passing winter nights in trees surrounded by leaping and snarling wolves, wolf attacks on humans are extremely rare. Bears and large cats do kill people regularly; coyotes and cougars and feral dogs kill many more livestock than do wolves; yet it is the wolf that attracts our hatred and our fear. Can we see in this another hint of our special ties to the wolf? As loathed villain and as rescuer of lost children, the wolf stands apart from all other animals in human consciousness, and perhaps in this we may detect a deeply felt knowledge of our ancient kinship. In recognizing that animals such as wolves do have emotions - perhaps not as complex as ours, but probably as deeply felt and as powerful influences on their behaviour - we begin to understand the mechanisms that are at work to bond packs into long-term social units of cooperative hunters, and which allow them to be such effective and efficient users of their environment. Having learned to what extent wolves resemble humans in their social behaviour and their capacity to form emotional bonds, we may begin to wonder how much of this similarity is due to the shared lives of our species over thousands of generations during a period when humans were first learning to be human. Biologist Wolfgang Schleidt suggests that "wolves and dogs, with their remarkable capacity for co-operation and loyalty, were both role models and companions on this long trek toward humanity.