With man in control then there is no guarantee; after all a highlands wildlife park shot its entire pack a few years ago.

Then there is the public. One park I know the Beta male wolf was poisoned by someone and in another (not UK) a member of the public poisoned the Alfa male (who died) and in yet another a wolf was killed, probably by trophy hunters who buried the body but kept the head.

The benefits are: a lot more fit ramblers (having walked around a 50,000 acre enclosure...

The controversy: will come when you have predators interacting with prey or will they eat prepared food?

I feel that it is exploitation, dressed up in a conservation cloak. I don't think it will protect them at all. The other thing is that this man intends to neuter the wolves that he is going to keep there. How on earth can this be called anthing else but an elaborate exhibition. He intends to introduce Moose (I think he has already got some) as well as Lynx. Instead of the local deer population being culled it is his intention to keep down the deer population with the wolves and return the said fenced landscape to its precambrian state by inroducing these animals (no more venison for us then - but we can always eat farmed like the wolf). If the wolf kills his moose what will he do - I suspect they may be kept separate as they also will be an exhibit. Sorry, but I cannot help but think that this is wrong. Whose going to go up there to sell ice cream

I hadn't heard that he intended to neuter the wolves. That kind of makes a nonsense of the whole thing. It will just be a very spacious zoo. How sad, I had actually thought it might be a step towards the reintroduction of wolves into the wild in Scotland.

Mick

I have to confess to sharing your reservations as well. The more I hear the more doubtful I am that this is going to be anything other than some form of circus.

Wolf pack management is a skill that not so many people have. My observations are that if you put wolves in a large wooded area then you will simply not see them as they will have no reason to come out unless its feeding time. I have talked to park managers in several countries and they usually create a balance by having both on display wolves as well as those that have limited viewing possibilities (not in the UK). One example in France has a 40 acre enclosure and the meat is delivered in a pick-up every other day; this is the only time you are likely to see the animals.

The other issue is neutering. While this is fine in a pet, wolves are acutely sensitive to their environment and also changes in hormone levels etc in each other. A neutered wolf is likely to be killed by the pack. A neutered pack is unlikely to act at all naturally. This act alone would make me extremely doubtful about this whole enterprise. I know no serious wolf conservation organisation that would consider this as an option.

Wolfdogowner - can you help me out here. I am not sure who exactly has got the go ahead from a judge - there appears to be two land owning people involved here. The one I mean is someone called Paul Lister, who is the 49 year old son of the founder of MFI. He is the one who has stated that he will neuter his captive wolves. There is an article in Reuters about it. I think there is also another man someone called Paul van Vlissingen who owns an estate in Ross Shire. Paul Listers estate is Alladale - Does the other fellow have the same idea or is he someone completely different - Good heavens Scotland is going to be overrun with wolves again. If we can't shoot them, trap them, poison them,we will all have to go and live on the European mainland - Brittainy seems nice

Paul Lister owns the Alladale Estate where he is introducing some wolves into a small enclosure and (apparently) neutering them. His original plan was to produce a unique 50,000 acre park with Bears, wolves, Lynx, and re-plant native trees etc. So far he has 'wild' boar and Moose.

Paul Van Vlissingen had a wider vision of re-introduction on his 85,000 acre estate in Scotland, he funded an environmental study into the effects of such a project. He died in 2006.

Thank you wolfdogowner - am I being too cynical when I think "one down one to go".

Well that of course depends on what you believe!

Paul Van Vlissingen seems to have been a bit of a philanthropist. He is also meant to have been concerned with the way man was treating the environment. His vision was more along the lines of careful re-introduction of wolves, starting with his own back yard.

If you do the maths based on the American experience a pack of 5 wolves in remotest corner of scotland would not even dent the over population of deer. However the political aspect of predator reintroduction will ensure that nothing will ever happen.

Mr Lister's plan to create a big game park of once native species would be unique in the UK. It may help the cause of the wolf by raising awareness; but to be honest who knows. I am not convinced about his current proposal for neutered wolves in a small pen.

A proper wolf research and information centre with a genuine interest in the animals would be a better way to go but does not have the same gimmick appeal for funding as a safari park. Mr Lister's park could be benifical with the right motivation behind it...

Thats the question "whats the motivation" I will remain cynical - I know I don't know Mr Lister, but I don't feel he is deserving of trust - he is a business man from MFI and maybe playing at being philanthropic methinks