Countless hours he has been waiting for the wolves. Has been sitting in the freezing cold or the pouring rain, hiding behind a tree stump or a Bush. Often in vain. Nevertheless, the Canton of the Grisons has abandoned wildlife photographer and author Peter Dettling (47) never and always at his destination held: the true nature of the wolves on the track. It has features that he shares with the animals who helped him: patience, tenacity, a strong will.
for 16 years, Dettling wolf families in Yellowstone national Park in the United States has observed, in Banff national Park in his adopted home of Canada, and in the mountains of Grisons. He was a day-long game drive, read every book and every study on wolves that came to him between the fingers.
is Our point of view on wolves burdened by prejudices
There is probably no other Swiss who knows the essence of the wolves as good as Peter Dettling. It was he who gave the returning wolves in Switzerland face: in 2006, Dettling shot a photo of the Surselva wolf. It should be one of the first pictures of a Wolf on Swiss soil. And one of those moments for the Dettling, it took sometimes days-to be a week-long wolf-Hunting – without the Wolf ever face. “Sometimes I was close to give up,” says Dettling. “But often, something magical happened then: A wolf father fought in front of my hiding place with a grizzly bear, or I could wolf puppies Around to watch.”
Now Peter Dettling has written down his Knowledge of the wolves. In his latest book, “wolf Odyssey” focuses on the photographer our by prejudice and sinister stories-loaded view of the animals. And it shows that The evil, bloodthirsty Wolf, there are only in fairy tales. Dettling draws a loving picture of the animals. The wolves as important key figures for a healthy balance in nature. As a loyal, intelligent and loving creatures with a strong sense of family.
There are passages like those in which Dettling describes the joyful reunion of a wolf mother with her offspring, or the peaceful Scenery, under a tree dozing young wolf, which will remain after the reading of the “wolf Odyssey” in memory.
No understanding of hunting act revision
the book will appear shortly before now due to Corona postponed vote on the hunting act revision in may, is no coincidence. Because of the efforts of the Federal government, to weaken the protection of the wolf, has Dettling, no understanding. Even today, this is extremely limited. “In the last 24 years, the Federal office for the environment 28 has granted a launch permit. And a total of 45 wolves were found dead, only five of them have died without human intervention.”
When it comes to the protection of wolves, comes in Dettling of the fighters to the fore. Too often he has seen wolves, because the people have suffered. As distributed, be approached, and poached, were killed. “My work with the wolves has revealed to me time and again, the worst side of the people,” he says. People are much more dangerous than wolves. “We provoke through our Actions is one of the largest species extinction the Planet has ever seen. The Wolf, however, is – from the point of view of nature – a Saint.”
wolves are similar to us
The hatred of the animals will understand Dettling never. “It should not be difficult for us to share the Land with wolves,” he says. “You are with your family-behavior that is so similar to no other species. Intuitively, we know very well the needs of the wolves and how bad it is, for example, your family is going through, politically motivated, kills again and again to tear apart.”
But if a man is not to the wolves so close, too biased in his book judges? “This is a danger for sure,” says Dettling. “Empathy can only come when we learn to be respectful to be close to the wild animals. Therefore, my personal experiences and emotions should have in the book.” Nevertheless, Dettling refers to the almost 300 pages on scientific evidence and studies that support his observations. He lights up the arguments of wolf opponents without any tendencies.
And he also describes re-touched in those moments when the wolves show their rough side, while Killing their prey for example. “I wanted to show how the Wolf really is,” says Peter Dettling. He succeeded in that. Anyone who reads the book to the end, has made a trip to the wolves, and deep in their souls looked. The Wait was worth it.
wolf country
Peter A. Dettling: “wolf Odyssey. A journey into the hidden realm of the wolves”
Werd-Verlag, 39 francs, www.werdverlag.ch, www.PeterDettling.com
