Once upon a time there was the big bad wolf of fairy tales. Today, however, he could be one of the most unlikely heroes in the fight against climate change. The wolf ecosystem, wiped out from Scotland 250 years ago, is about to make a sensational return. Not to scare Little Red Riding Hood, but for a much more noble goal: to help us fight the greenhouse effect. Once again, nature is much wiser than we think: let's see how.
History of a centuries-long persecution
Aside from the parenthesis of Saint Francis, it has not always been a beautiful story, that between men and wolves. Especially in Scotland. The first document that testifies to this persecution dates back to 1238, when a payment was recorded for “a wolf hunter”. As if that were not enough, King James I of Scotland he set out to issue in 1427 a law that obliged all lords to hunt wolves.
The ruthless hunt continued in the following centuries, with the Earl of Atholl who organized wolf hunts as if they were social events. A systematic persecution which led to the extinction of these predators from Scottish territory around 250 years ago.
Secondo a large report with the UK Wolf Conservation Trust, this was one of the most effective and ruthless extermination campaigns ever conducted against a wild species in Europe.
Wolves and Ecosystems: Nature Takes Revenge
Without wolves, Scotland's red deer population has exploded, reaching staggering numbers: 400.000 specimens. To give you an idea, we are talking about one deer for every 14 inhabitants. And what are the consequences?
These herbivores, along with sheep in some areas, are preventing the growth of young trees throughout the region. A classic example of how eliminating one predator can have a domino effect on the entire ecosystem.
Nature is a complex and interconnected system: removing one element can have unpredictable and often harmful consequences for the environment. The unexpected solution, it seems, is a “welcome” (so to speak) return.
Upon kind request
According to a new study published in Ecological Solutions and Evidence (I link it here), the reintroduction of large carnivores to control the deer population could lead to an expansion of forest areas capable of absorbing up to 1 million tons of CO2 per year.
To put it into perspective, This would be 5% of the UK's carbon removal target for forests. Not bad for a few wolf packs, right?
“There is a growing recognition that the climate and biodiversity crises cannot be addressed in isolation,” he said. Dominick Sprackled, lead author of the study.
The Value of Wolves
If you are wondering how much a wolf is worth in economic terms, prepare yourself for a surprising figure. At the current costs of removing and storing CO2, each wolf would be worth up to £154.000 (around €194.000) a year.
Of course, this estimate doesn’t include the initial costs of reestablishing the population, nor does it consider how changes in grazing dynamics and forest expansion might affect soil carbon. But it’s still a sobering number.
Nature is telling us that perhaps we have underestimated the value of our natural “enemies”. And that they could become the absolute protagonists of the “rewilding” Scottish.
The challenges to face
It’s not all sunshine and roses, of course. Conflict between humans and large predators remains a sticking point, especially for livestock farmers. As the researchers themselves admit, broad stakeholder and public engagement would be needed before any reintroduction is considered.
Human-wildlife conflicts are common when it comes to carnivores. The key is to find public policies that take into account people's attitudes to make reintroduction a success.
But perhaps it's time to rethink our relationship with these predators.
A lesson from nature
I like to think that this story teaches us something important: nature often has solutions to the problems that we ourselves have created. The ecosystem is a perfect mechanism, where every gear has its role.
Wolves, always portrayed as villains in fairy tales, could prove to be valuable allies in the fight against climate change. A story that reminds us that, sometimes, the enemies we think we have to fight are actually the heroes we need.
The question is: are we ready to give wolves a second chance?
