Mother Nature

We are but part of the world, not the world.

Hunters were combing the snowy brush around Chignik Lake, Alaska, on Friday in an attempt to hunt down up to four wolves that killed a 32-year-old special education teacher in the first known fatal wolf attack in the U.S. in modern times. ... Candice Berner, a special education teacher who traveled among several rural schools on the Alaska Peninsula, 475 miles southwest of Anchorage, was attacked while jogging and listening to her iPod Monday evening on the deserted, 3-mile-long road that leads out from the village to its small airstrip. The Los Angeles Times

Why was she not armed? Will people travel that stretch of the woods unarmed in the near future? Will the cops give anyone crap for being armed outside of town for the next couple years?

I've never paid attention to the state of Alaskan weather until this moment. Some news reports from Alaska blame weather for heightened wold activity closer to towns. The wolves are not as able to bring down prey and stay fed this spring. People in rural areas have lost bets and livestock to wolves in greater numbers this year than recent years.

So, there was some hint in the news of greater danger. That is no excuse. I believe that if the wolves present a threat to humans that threat needs to be addressed with absolute precision. If that means moving the wolves several thousand miles, which I fear might not work, or a cull, then so be it.

This pings too close to home. Thursday afternoon, Bill brought Elle home from school.  They went for a walk up the street because Elle didn't want to be cooped up all afternoon. I was home sick and heard a story about a stray dog that frightened them. The dog did not seem friendly. They came home unharmed, but now I want to patrol the neighborhood looking for stray dogs.

Video: Wolves attack dogs in Alaska (2007)

This is old footage from late 2007. The snow came late and the wolves had trouble hunting.

Video: Women nearly attacked by wolves in Alaska (2007)

Very Scary stuff. I live how many thousands of miles from Alaska and the hair goes up on the back of my neck hearing her description of the attack.