The day we all failed the true test of a civilised society... Who is a wild animal, Canis lupus or Homo sapiens?

Croatian's battle with the wolves is one of the most vicious examples of a struggle taking place in several European countries. The original populations of Europe's top predators (bears, wolves, lynxes and wolverines) were wiped out from many European countries in the 18th and 19th centuries as habitat disappeared and hunters sought out the last of the hated predators. But in recent decades, carnivores have made a comeback, increasing in numbers and expanding their territories. But while a science-based management plan is essential if the animals are going to thrive, that alone is not enough. The overarching question is whether citizens of densely populated and mostly developed European countries are willing to coexist with the animals - even if they occasionally devour livestock and scare unsuspecting people. The key to success, says John Linnell (of the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research), "is getting people used to the idea of having something in their backyard that's wild and a little out of control." That still leaves one major obstacle, however: overcoming public opposition. " I hate to admit it as an ecologist, but the most pressing issues are related to social science," Linnell says. "Understanding the sociology of coexistence is really the key."

In Croatia, the problem was painfully illustrated last week, by the fate of a wolf - I'll call him Avenger. Two weeks ago, allegedly, some wolf killed 80 sheep, prompting brutal human retaliation... a wolf was found hanging from a city traffic sign.

https://www.jutarnji.hr/vaumijau/aktualno/uznemirujuci-prizor-u-gracacu-na-prometnom-znaku-objesen-vuk-slucaj-istrazuje-i-policija-15067923

How is it possible that we revere our dogs as pets so much, and then hang its evolutionary ancestor so callously but proudly on a pillar of shame? Discussions started, who is guilty... Cattlemen? Hunters? Government? Ecologists? Education? We all failed that test, as humans, as a society, as homo sapiens (so-called "wise man")... We began to fight... sharpening swords and throwing mud... And why is that? Do we all have the same goal? Sustainable development? What's the point of us fighting each other? Why can't we all one day sit down together honestly to talk, without fairy tales and lies...? To finally show our younger generations that it makes sense to fight together for a normal life, where wolves can roam and cattle can graze, where forests can grow, where our children can see the same richness of biodiversity that we currently enjoy, that it is worth fighting for our planet, for Earth... there is no plan(et) B.

The fierce resistance against wolves stems in part from a broader discontent among farmers about the troubled economy and sluggish system. Wolves have become the scapegoat for all that is wrong. But that doesn't mean that wolves are problemfree, however.

Governments across Europe are trying to find a solution by compensating farmers for lost sheep and giving them the benefit of the doubt when a wolf attack is suspected but not proven. They also sponsor the building of refuges-mountain huts for shepherds (until recently, most sheep roamed unguarded) and offer farmers grants to buy a trained dog to help ward off attacks. But farmers say the compensation isn't enough, and most wouldn't shed a tear if the entire wolf population dwindled to zero. But hunting wolves can sometimes actually create more problems than it solves. After all, by hunting wolves that have been found attacking livestock, we can disrupt their society and destabilise their packs. Packs may split into smaller packs made up of younger animals, with a larger influx of unrelated individuals. And younger, less complex packs can be more aggressive, so they can go back to killing livestock or approaching humans for food. It's not about having these animals in a national park, no park in Europe can sustain even a remnant population. We want to get people to accept that wolves, bears and lynx are part of the modern landscape of the 21st century. Can ecologists do that? Hunters? The government? No. Only together... ...as a society.