Fairy tales feed wolf fears

The wolf haters who paid to display those ridiculous billboards around Spokane that depict wolves as vicious killers must think the people of the Northwest are really stupid. It is men with their snares, traps and guns that are the vicious killers, and indiscriminate to boot. Wolves kill to survive.

The irrational fear and hatred of wolves that is prevalent in some circles is whipped up by groups such as this. Fear of wolves is taught by fairy tales from our youth: Little Red Riding Hood, the wolf at the door, the Big Bad Wolf, werewolves, a lone wolf, etc. The message the wolf-hating groups are trying to get people to swallow makes about as much sense as those fairy tales.

Wolves are at the top of the food chain and humans cannot stand it that there are predators more efficient than they are. Wolves are here to stay and we need to figure out rational ways to live with them, just like we live with bears and cougars.

When pack structure is disrupted and the alpha animals killed, their breeding cycles are increased. If you want fewer wolves, leave them alone.

Susan Westervelt

Deary, Idaho