news - 31/05/2008
Wolves - Dogs – Humans - Austria
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by Paul Cech
Wolves - Dogs – Humans
A new Wolf Science Center focusses at the secrets of this old triangle
A new “Wolf Science Center”, WSC (www.wolfscience.at) has been
established in the Austrian Cumberland Game Park in June 2008, by three
high-profile researchers in the area of social complexity and cognition,
Kurt Kotrschal, PhD, Univ. Vienna prof. and director Konrad Lorenz
Research Station, www.klf.at); Friederike Range, PhD, Univ. Vienna
biologist and Zsofia Viranyi, PhD, Eötvös Univ. Budapest and Konrad
Lorenz Institute biologist. This long-term project has three goals, 1.
Comparative, experimental research into the socially embedded cognitive
and cooperative abilities of wolves and dogs. This research will not
consider wolves and dogs as “subjects” but respect them as partners. 2.
To set new standards of wolf keeping and 3. Educating the public about
wolves, dogs and their relationships with humans.
Wolves are still special in the eyes of many. They are among a
handful of “magic” animals which have fascinated particularly northern
hemisphere people ever since. Once the “friends”, “brothers” and
mediators to the spiritual world of hunter-gatherers, they have turned
into foe, hunted to extinction in many areas. Even in modern societies,
the wolf is emotionally and symbolically loaded. Wolves are not the
least the forefathers of the domestic dog, our closest and most
important animal companion. Wolves in the form of dogs may even have
accompanied the out-of-Africa spread of modern /Homo sapiens/, over more
than 50 000 years. Dogs have acquired many so many different roles in
the company of humans. They have been bred and trained for many
different purposes, indicating their great flexibility, adaptability and
cooperative abilities. Therefore, understanding how wolves “tick” and
how they manage to organize their complex cooperation within the pack is
the base for understanding dogs and even may shed substantial light on
the human nature.
Do dogs still they still think and operate in a wolf-like way when
solving problems, learning and cooperating with humans? In what ways
have they changed in comparison with wolves? Many assume that dogs have
lost some cognitive skills and independent problem solving abilities
because they manage to engage humans as assistants and trouble shooters.
This contrasts with wolves, which still have to cope with the challenges
of the wilderness and do not seem to consider humans as partners even
when hand raised. Others, however, belief, that domestication made dogs
more sensitive to humans than wolves ever could be. Consequently, dog
behaviour is more often determined by human behaviour than by their
attendance to, and reasoning on, physical causality.
Previous research at the Eötvös University Budapest or at the MPI for
Anthropology, Leipzig, has opened first windows into the minds and
wolves and dogs. Indeed, understanding of dog behaviour is rapidly
increasing. However, the complimentary wolf data are largely lacking.
Consequently, the main goal of the WSC is to pursue this comparison and
in particular, to understand which role the social relationships within
wolves or dogs, or the relationship between them and humans, will have
on their cognitive and cooperative development and performance. Hence,
the WSC will focus series of tests and experiments at the specific
dispositions in wolves and dogs, and how dyadic social relationships
(wolf-wolf, dog-dog, human-wolf and human-dog) will affect performance.
In practice, Canadian grey wolf pups are hand-raised at the WSC from day
ten on, in sibling groups and in the controlled company of dogs, which
assume the roles of “social educators”of the developing wolves. During
development, pups are continuously tested and are trained to perform
well in the necessary handling and testing routines. This procedure will
provide socially intact wolves which will later engage in a normal pack
life in their big enclosures and at the same time still cooperate in the
WSC research activities and also, cope well with the zoo conditions. In
2008 four pups from Herberstein/Styria are raised, for 2009 it is
planned to raise 8 pups of Canadian origin. Finally, 2 packs of at least
8 animals each shall be assembled from these different bloodlines.
Comparisons with dogs will be done at the “Clever Dog Lab”
(http://www.nc.univie.ac.at/index.php?id=14571) and via a pack of sledge
dogs which shall be kept at the WSC under comparable conditions than the
wolves. Packs will be kept in enclosures of 6000m2 and individuals will
be tested on a daily and weekly base. As a principle, participation of
individuals n the tests will be voluntary. Also, the testing schedule
will include the simulation of social hunting and thereby, may set new
standards in the zoo keeping of wolves. Hence, participating in the WSC
science program will also substantially benefit the well-being of the
partner wolves and will be considerable fun for the participating dogs
and their owners or trainers. The necessary funding will come from
private sponsors and from competitive research grants. The WSC has the
ambition to develop into one of the leading wolf research institutions
over the next 10 years.
The results of these studies will help to put dog training on a firm
scientific basis, to provide a better understanding of human-dog
companionship, and to support educated decisions in the area of animal
assisted therapy and animal assisted activities.
Kurt Kotrschal
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GRUENAU: THE VILLAGE IN THE GREEN MEADOWS
Green and white is the colour of the houses in Grünau/Almtal. Green in
all shades. The emerald colour of the water in the lakes and creeks, the
dark forest's, the brighten meadows and pastures, the soft rolling
fields leading to the alpine slopes.
White as the narcissus that in early spring sprout in the mountains
providing competition in beauty against the shining crystal snow. The
white rocks and walls of the threatening massive mountains breaking
through producing a symphony of a thousand colours. The majestic
landscape offers the accent; one could say dictates the sound.
The pure nature, the carefully protected environment. Nature through the
distinct seasons of the year reigns over the inhabitants and also those
visitors making holidays in paradise. The awaking of the plants, the
excitement of the animals on the threshold of a new life that begins in
spring.
The delight to swim in the pure water's of mountain lakes in the warm
cultivates summers. To ramble through forest, fields and meadows taking
in pure nature. To allow the panorama view frorn a conquered mountain
peak to settle an remain forever.
The world of the wild animals. The never ending circulation of life, to
wonder in the peace of the never ending event that each year and every
year is performed with energy and pleasure for our enjoyment.
So discovered Konrad Lorenz the famous behaviour researcher and Nobel
Prize winner, Grünau im Almtal, adopting Grünau as his favourite home.
TOURIST OFFICE and GUESTSERVICE Grünau im Almtal - Town center, A-4645
Grünau Tel: +43/7616/8268; Fax: +43/7616/8895, Mail:
hofstetter.gruenau@almtal, www,gruenau-almtal.at
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Photo-Credits: Wolf Science Center
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