Are there wolves in Scotland?

There are no wild wolves in Scotland; they have been hunted to extinction since 1680, when the last Scottish wolf was killed near Killiecrankie in Perthshire. However, it is possible to see wolves in captivity at the many wildlife parks and zoos around Scotland.

While I am thankful that there are no longer any wild wolves roaming in Scotland, the extinction of wolves has led to many environmental problems on Scotland's remote hills and moors.

Read on to find out more about wolves in Scotland over the last few hundred years.

The European Grey Wolf in Scotland

The European grey wolf (Canis lupus) is a highly social pack animal mainly located in the European continent and North America. Grey wolves are known for their ability to hunt in a pack and kill much larger prey such as moose and elk.

The average pack size is a family of eight wolves. Pairs mate for life but will soon find another mate if one dies. Wild wolves live around 14 years, while those in captivity live a little longer to 16 years.

What did wolves eat in Scotland?

We don't have moose or elk in Scotland, but red deer, boar, sheep... and humans, would have been a tasty treat for the hungry wolves hundreds of years ago.

Why did wolves go extinct in Scotland?

Humans. By the late 1600s, wolves had been purposefully hunted for over 300 years in retaliation for losing valuable livestock on farms and as a hobby for the rich.

Wolf habitats grew smaller, farms larger and bloodthirsty sports more popular. Forests were cut down, and humans took prey animals for food, skins or domestication.

Losing your home, food source and getting hunted isn't a good recipe for survival!

Where did wolves live in Scotland?

The main areas were the Scottish Highlands in northwest and central Scotland.

History of wolves in Scotland

Historically wolves in Scotland were a direct threat to humans:

• In 1427, damage to livestock was so significant a compulsory hunt of wolves was ordered by King James I. Between April and August, three hunts were held annually to coincide with the new cubbing season.

• Mary Queen of Scots was known to hunt wolves in the forests near Atholl in 1563.

• During the early 1600s, small buildings called spittals were common at intervals along the main travel routes. If wolves attacked you on the highway, your best chance of survival was to seek shelter within a spittal.

• In north Scotland within the Sutherland area, wolves were such a problem that deceased humans could not be buried on the mainland as graves were frequently disturbed. The nearby island of Handa was the only safe place locals could bury their dead.

• In central Scotland, wolf-proof graves had to be constructed from five flagstones to protect human remains.

• Although the last wolf is said to have been killed in 1680 by Sir Ewan Cameron, there are reports that wolves survived as late as 1888; these may have been hunting dogs misidentified as wolves.

• In the early 1900s, a modern-day folktale began in Shetland regarding The Wulver - a creature with a wolf's head but a man's body. If you are interested in Scottish mythology, please read my dedicated article.

Reintroducing wolves to Scotland

There has been a great deal of discussion around the reintroduction of wolves to the Scottish Highlands after 300 years, but currently, there are no plans to release wolves into the wild in Scotland.

The position of the Scottish Government is:

“We have no plans to reintroduce lynx, wolves, bears or any other large carnivore species into Scotland.”

It is a highly polarising subject - many people fear reintroducing wolves for obvious reasons - they don't want to be attacked! The fear for children and pets would be extreme; many just can't see how wild wolves are compatible with modern life.

Farmers would also lose livestock to wolves, which was the main reason they were hunted to extinction in the first place... but offers to recompense lost livestock/farm animals have softened their view a little financially.

The prospect of encountering a wild wolf is also bound to affect tourism at many of Scotland's wild places, including Munros and lochs. On the flip side, in Wyoming, wolf-related tourism attracts $35.5 million in revenue per year.

White-tailed sea eagles and beavers (both now protected species) have recently been reintroduced to Scotland and improved biodiversity, but they are much less dangerous than wolves.

Why reintroduce wolves to Scotland?

Dr Martyn Gorman was the first to suggest the reintroduction of wolves in Scotland to control red deer numbers in the expansive moors in the Scottish Highlands. Due to deer feeding on tree saplings, efforts to replant the Caledonian forests in the Highlands have proven difficult. As many as 1,000000 wild deer are living in Scotland, causing mass damage to the countryside without any apex predators to keep them in check.

Having the wolves control the deer population would save time and money hiring hunters and would help vast areas of Scotland recover from deforestation.

Scottish Rewilding Alliance (SWA)

In Scotland, an organisation named the "Scottish Rewilding Alliance" has lobbied politicians to create the first "rewilding nation". Steve Micklewright, convenor of the SWA, outlined a series of points to achieve this goal.

• 30% of public land should be made available for rewilding projects.

• A community fund for rewilding projects in towns and cities.

• Reintegrating lost species back into the wild, such as the Eurasian lynx.

• Coastal zones where no dredging and trawling are permitted.

• A plan to control deer numbers to allow recovery from overgrazing.

Steve Micklewright also believes there is too much discussion on the reintroduction of wolves and bears in Scotland; more action should be taken on the actual rewilding opportunities that are available to us.

"There is no serious campaign to reintroduce bears in Britain. Wolves aren’t returning any time soon. Raising a nonexistent debate in this way risks needlessly frightening rural communities, and undermines constructive conversations about rewilding’s extensive benefits".

Rewilding enclosures

Some land owners (including Paul Lister, laird of Alladale Estate) have suggested creating large fenced areas of land in which wolves could be reintroduced, protecting farms and the public. However, people in Scotland have the right to access all areas of Scotland under The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. As the area would be fenced off, this directly stops people from accessing that area which goes against the act.

Perhaps the law will be changed in the future to allow these enclosures to be built.

Grey wolves at Yellowstone National Park

Grey wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995 and helped increase the local beaver colonies from only one to nine. This was due to the wolves' effect on the large elk population; the elk would eat willow, aspen and cottonwood plants, which the beaver relied on to survive winter. Pressure from the wolves forced the elk not to linger too long in one area, stopping them from stripping whole regions of vegetation.

Wolves as food distributors

In Yellowstone, another benefit was observed - the killing of elk provided food for many species, not just the wolves themselves. Scavengers used to rely on harsh winters killing elk to provide them with fresh carrion, but now with wolves killing elk more frequently, more food is available for eagles, ravens, magpies, and coyotes. Bears also greatly benefit, emerging from hibernation to find an easy food source.

Could Scotland learn from the wolves at Yellowstone?

Yes, there would likely be many benefits:

• Red deer populations would be under control.

• More food would be available for scavengers.

• Trees would have a chance to grow.

• Less costly than hiring hunters to keep the deer population low.

• Improved biodiversity.

While the wolf reintroductions at Yellowstone National Park have been a great success, the land area there is much larger than in our small country. Yellowstone is more than twice as big as the largest national park in Scotland. How many wolves it would take to make a difference to the deer population is also unknown.

Despite no record of wolves attacking humans at Yellowstone, I'm not sure Scots could learn to live with dangerous wild wolves on our doorsteps in the more rural areas.

Where can captive wolves be seen in Scotland?

Here are a few of the best places to see wolves in Scotland.

Highland Wildlife Park

This brilliant wildlife park near Aviemore and Kingussie in central Scotland is a must-visit if you are in the area. Wolf Wood is an excellent walk-through section of the park, not far from the main car park; it contains a pack of European grey wolves. The polar bears are a must-see here too.

Please read my dedicated article on Highland Wildlife Park.

HWLP website

Scottish Deer Centre

Although it sounds like it's all about deer, the Scottish Deer Centre is also home to European brown bears, otters, lynx, red fox, Scottish wildcats and European wolves.

Scottish Deer Centre

Five Sisters Zoo

This is a smaller zoo located in West Lothian, but a fantastic visit all the same, and home to two arctic wolves. There are also bears, lions, gibbons, deer, tapir and reindeer.

Five Sisters Zoo

Are there wolves at Edinburgh Zoo?

No, there are no longer wolves at Edinburgh zoo; it's likely they have been moved to their sister zoo at Highland Wildlife Park.

Edinburgh Zoo Website

Himalayan Wolves Project

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (owners of Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park) is actively involved in the Himalayan Wolves Project, dedicated to gathering evidence to support the conservation of wolves in high-altitude habitats across the Himalayas.

Are there other dangerous wild animals in Scotland?

There are quite a few predators that could be considered dangerous in Scotland, but nothing on the scale of brown bears or wolves. Please see my dedicated guide to dangerous animals in Scotland. Strangely, the cause of most deaths per year is from cows!

The adder is Scotland's only venomous snake but is very shy and will avoid humans.

The Highland midge, a small biting insect, is very annoying but not dangerous... you should still check out my midge survival guide if you are looking to visit Scotland in spring and summer.

Scotland has many other species, such as seals, dolphins, otters, badgers, pine martens and wildcats. We have no mountain lions or other large cats - Scotland is a very safe place to live.

Wolves in Scotland video

Here is a great video showing the wolves from Highland Wildlife Park in Scotland:

Key takeaways:

• There are no wild wolves living in Scotland.

• Wolves only exist in zoos and wildlife parks in Scotland.

• Historically, wolves were a danger to humans.

• No animal species in Scotland prey on humans.

• Some groups would like to reintroduce wolves to the wild in Scotland.

Conclusion

You can sigh a breath of relief and enjoy Scotland's wild places without fear of being gobbled by a wolf! Jokes aside, it's interesting to learn about biodiversity and how one group of animals could make such a big difference to the countryside... in an ideal world, we probably should be living alongside wolves.

I don't believe wolves or brown bears will ever be introduced to Scotland, even with the benefits mentioned in this article. What do you think?