- Chester
Rabies Barrier To Save World's Rarest Wolf
ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2008)
A team of Oxford University and Ethiopian conservationists are battling to save the world's rarest wolf from a rabies outbreak by creating a 'barrier' of vaccinated wolf packs.
The Ethiopian wolf is on the brink of extinction with less than 500 animals surviving on a handful of Ethiopian mountains. In their stronghold in the Bale Mountains National Park wolves live in close contact with the Oromo people.
Whilst this coexistence is encouraging, it places the wolves at great risk of catching the rabies virus from the dogs the Oromo use to herd livestock.
Entire article:
Chester:
This grieves me. There are only 500 of these wolves left. Rabies could easily wipe them out. Borophagus and Osbornodon were wiped out from lesser forces. I hope these scientists can halt this epidemic.
Confused? I do not hate wolves. Wolves are not werewolves. I am not even so certain anymore if werewolves are werewolves. I have spent lots of time in the wilderness. As you might recall, I was born in the wilderness, on a farm in the wilderness. I have spent much time in the woods on many continents, mostly North America. And as such, I have spent much time around wolves. They are my cousins. We get along. I don't get invitations to wolf reunions. But, there is no animosity. That is reserved, or always has been reserved, for werewolves. I won't got there now.
Rabies is our plague. We dogs and weredogs do not fear AIDS. We are nervous about ebola. But, even the most courageous weredog's blood runs cold at the mention of rabies. There are few things as terrifying as a weredog with rabies. Even werewolves do not compare. Rabies is almost a type or lycanthropy. It changes dogs in worse ways. It is a horrible way to die. A pack will kill an infected member. Seem cruel? Past early stages, there is no cure. It is a mercy.
Yes, we get cancer, as my Bella can attest. All living beings get cancer. Just the way it is. Cannot be helped. But, it is very different. Cancer leads only to pain, not madness, not rabies madness.
Too many canines have been lost to the world. We don't want to lose any more. But, these scientists have a hard task before them. Ethiopia is a dangerous place, not ideal for conservation efforts. Avoiding being perforated with lead is hard enough in Ethiopia today.
Also, you got to admit, those are some good lookin' canines. And the fact that they look a lot like me has nothing to do with that.
chester.weredog@gmail.com
2 comments:
I know you have good reason to hate werewolves, but what makes them so much more...for lack of a better word...evil? Wouldnt it depend on the person who was made into a werewolf?
That is a tough question. It used to be easy. Things used to be so much easier. There was a time when dogs and men and wolves were all one way or another.
The modern world has made things more complex. It has made werewolves rethink their place, their role, their nature. As such, it seems that all werewolves are not intent on death and destruction as all werewolves used to be.
The 2 female werewolves I have recently crossed paths with give me food for thought. Their howl and scent was authentic. It stands to reason there are others, like them, who have given up their old, evil ways. At least to some extent.
But, keep in mind, we weredogs and werewolves have been at this a long time, longer than the Israelis and Palestinians; longer than the Christians and the Muslims; longer than the English and the French; longer than even that of cats and dogs, and even longer than Chiefs and Raider fans.
Hate is a hard habit to break. It is harder to kick than booze or meth or sex or online gaming. It is a very reliable companion. It will never let you down.
Yes. There are werewlves, and small packs and pockets of werewolves, that seem to be intent upon and able to live in peace with men and dogs. But, there are the exception and not the rule. And how does one know which is which, who is who, and whether the raised lip that bares tooth is after your friendship or your flesh? And who wants to take that risk?
Post a Comment