The Carnivore Trust bid to reintroduce wolf

From the Inverness Courier, date unknown

Roger Panaman, of the Carnivore Trust, launched a bid to reintroduce the wolf to the Highlands in 1977. He planned to raise £40,000 for a study to probe the impact of the environment had his plan been successful. He said: "The establishment of a Highland wolf centre could start a money-spinning eco-tourism venture worth hundreds and thousands of pounds." He told the Inverness Courier: "...that a wolf centre in the United States generates ?,000 a year."

His aim is for a 500 square kilometre area with a number of wolf packs totalling up to 300. Farmers would be compensated for any loss of livestock from a special fund. The centre would have been set up around Aviemore.

Opposition from local farmers was great. National Farmers Union representative, Donald Fraser, said: "I'm amazed that anyone would want to let wolves go. It took a long time to eradicate them, and when one escaped from a zoo not so long ago, police had to warn parents to keep their children inside."
"To be honest these people just don't have a clue. Its totally irresponsible - this could result in a life threatening situation."

A local Aviemore landowner who agreed for the wolf centre to be established on his land, pulled out of the project after local opposition.

© Inverness Courier

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