In the silent moonlight, a terrible wolf howl suddenly sounded on the hillside. The sound was like a howl from hell, and it was heartbreaking.
"Here we go again!" When the shepherd of the lodge heard this, he immediately became nervous. He quickly summoned the border collie beside him and looked warily in the direction of the hillside.
I saw those brown-gray figures looming in the moonlight, slowly approaching here. It was a pack of wild wolves, their eyes glinting with greed, clearly attracted by the fat flock in front of them.
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However, just as the wolf was about to pounce on the sheep, the border collie suddenly let out a rapid bark. The sound was like thunder, and it instantly interrupted the wolf's attack. The wolves suddenly stopped and looked at the sheepdogs in front of them warily.
At that moment, the shepherd also rushed out, shotgun in hand. Seeing this, the wolves finally gave up their attack, turned around and disappeared into the darkness along the hillside.
This situation does not seem to be uncommon in this remote mountain resort. When night falls, wild wolves roam the valley and keep an eye on the sheep, but if they alarm the shepherds and shepherds, they quickly retreat and do not dare to make rash moves.
Could it be that a group of fierce and cunning wolves would be afraid of a few "weak" sheepdogs? What's the secret behind this?
The wolf is ferocious and wise
To explore this mystery, we need to understand the nature of the wild wolf as a creature. Wild wolves are carnivorous canines, they resemble dogs, but they are far more ferocious and ferocious than dogs.
In fact, wild wolves can be called natural killers. Their physicality is extremely good, and their canine teeth are as sharp as daggers, enough to bite off the neck of their prey in an instant; With slender and powerful limbs, it is able to run at an astonishing speed and easily catch fast prey such as deer and antelopes; This, combined with a keen sense of hearing and smell, as well as extraordinary endurance, gives them an absolute advantage in the wild.
Not only that, but wild wolves also have amazing teamwork skills. The pack is usually led by a pair of wolves, and the rest of the pack is responsible for guarding, stalking prey, and culling. When hunting, they will cooperate tacitly, divide labor and cooperate, and work together to surround the prey and annihilate it in one fell swoop.
It is with these God-given advantages that the wild wolf can survive in the harsh environment of the wild and become the most tenacious and dangerous predator in this wilderness.
However, even with such great strength, the wild wolf seems to always retreat when faced with a sheep dog guarded by a sheepdog. What's the secret behind this?
The Magic of Shepherd Dogs: Deterrence and Collaboration
To understand why wild wolves are afraid of sheep guarded by sheepdogs, it is first necessary to understand the true strength of these well-trained sheepdogs.
Outwardly, shepherd dogs are indeed very different from wild wolves. They are relatively small and do not seem to be as fierce as wolves. However, in terms of practical function, the shepherd dog can be described as an all-powerful "all-round dog".
Take the border collie as an example, they have extraordinary intelligence and energy, can use their agility to quickly clear the flock, and through barking and other methods, effectively prevent the abnormal behavior of the "thorny sheep". The German Shepherd, on the other hand, is more regarded as the best of the best, not only in terms of speed and alertness, but also in fighting far more than the average dog.
As a typical workaholic, the Scottish Shepherd is known for its enthusiasm and courage in caring for its flock. Even when faced with wolves, they will not hesitate to fight and never back down.
In fact, the key to what makes these excellent sheepdogs so good is that they are supported by the great strength of humans behind them. As soon as they encounter the threat of a wild wolf, they will immediately let out a terrible bark to wake up the sleeping shepherd. And after the shepherd appeared with a shotgun in hand, the originally menacing wolf pack would suddenly be timid and retreat.
That's where the magic of the shepherd comes in. They not only rely on their own powerful strength to deter wild wolves, but also rely on the powerful deterrent power of humans. In this co-op mode, it is difficult for even the most ferocious wolves to attack a sheep guarded by a sheepdog.
A pack of wolves is afraid of a dog, which may sound ridiculous. But in fact, this is exactly one of the most resourceful survival wisdom of wild wolves. They know that even if they can easily deal with these seemingly fragile sheepdogs, once they anger the humans behind them, the consequences will be unbearable.
Therefore, the wild wolf would rather give up the tempting prey in front of him than act rashly. They tend to seek out sheep that are not guarded by sheepdogs, so that they can not only get abundant food, but also avoid head-on conflict with humans.
It can be said that this kind of vigilant retreat behavior is the valuable experience accumulated by wild wolves in harsh environments for many years. They are well versed in the principle of "win without fighting", and understand that sometimes withdrawing is not a sign of weakness, but a smarter way of survival. On the other hand, this fear of human deterrence also stems from the fear of wild wolves for weapons such as shotguns. Having experienced countless conflicts with humanity, they have become fully aware of the destructive power of humanity. Once hunted by humans, it is difficult for even the toughest wolves to escape on their own. Therefore, in the face of the shepherd with a shotgun, the wild wolf will naturally retreat and dare not act rashly.
It is worth mentioning that over time, humans have become more and more strict in the cultivation and selection of sheepdogs. Today's shepherds are not only getting better in terms of intelligence and vigilance, but also in terms of physical fitness and combat effectiveness. These "super guard dogs" have undoubtedly further enhanced their ability to deal with wild wolves.
Therefore, under the double deterrence of humans and sheepdogs, no matter how cunning and tough the wild wolf is, it is difficult to really attack the sheep guarded by sheepdogs. They would rather choose an easier target than go toe-to-toe with such an invincible combination.
This cunning approach of "retreating as advancing" undoubtedly reflects the super survival wisdom of wild wolves. They are able to accurately judge their own strength and choose wisely whether to fight or retreat against them, which is undoubtedly a very superb survival strategy.
Offensive and defensive game between humans and wild wolves
Essentially, the reason why wild wolves avoid sheep protected by sheepdogs is not because they are afraid of a few "weak" dogs, but because they are deeply afraid of the human power behind them.
In the long course of history, there has always been an endless offensive and defensive game between humans and wild wolves. As natural predators, the relationship between humans and wild wolves has always been in a state of tension.
On the one hand, humans are always vigilant against the threat of wild wolves, and in order to protect their livestock and homes, they have to take various measures to curb the ravages of wild wolves. From the most primitive people holding weapons to strike directly, to later cultivating and training powerful sheepdogs, and now using advanced scientific and technological means, human beings have been trying to control the offensive momentum of wild wolves.
On the other hand, the cunning wild wolf is also constantly looking for a breakthrough in an attempt to defeat the human defense. They sometimes use "serial attrition tactics" to drain human patience, and sometimes choose to seek out unguarded sheep to attack. But no matter what tactics they adopt, they will not be able to defeat the powerful human deterrent force in the end.
It can be said that this offensive and defensive game between humans and wild wolves has become a protracted war. Both sides are constantly adjusting their tactics and strategies in an attempt to achieve ultimate victory. And the result of this game also directly affects the ecological balance of this land.
If the wild wolf completely defeats humans, it will inevitably cause large-scale damage to livestock, endangering the development of agriculture and animal husbandry. But if humans completely wipe out wild wolves, it could cause an imbalance in the entire food chain and cause other populations to spiral out of control.
So, on this issue, humanity needs to maintain a moderate level of intervention. It is necessary not only to curb the ravages of wild wolves, but also to respect the ecological balance and realize the harmonious coexistence of man and nature. This requires us to start from multiple perspectives and comprehensively use various means to resolve the contradiction between man and wolf.
For example, in addition to continuing to improve the training of sheepdogs, we can also provide a better living environment for wild wolves and reduce their aggression against livestock by building wildlife corridors and restoring natural habitats. At the same time, we will strengthen the education and publicity of local residents, improve everyone's awareness of wildlife protection, and jointly maintain the ecological balance of this wilderness.
Only in this way can we find a new situation of mutual benefit and win-win results in the long-term game between humans and wolves. Let these wild wolves, once known as the "kings of the forest", no longer be forced to give up their territory, but be able to survive safely and live in harmony with humans.
This is undoubtedly a topic that requires our continuous exploration and efforts. Let's look forward to the near future, where both humans and wolves will find their place in this beautiful wilderness.
What do you think about this? Feel free to share your thoughts and insights in the comments below.
#狼为何回避有牧羊犬保护的羊群? Is a pack of wolves no match for a dog?