The Last Wolf

In 1743, according to legend, the last wolf in Scotland was killed by a huntsman near Inverness. Since then it has gradually become clear that the entire eco-system has been thrown out of balance. In this passionate polemic, Jim Crumley calls for a limited reintroduction of wolves into Scotland as a way of healing the damaged land.

In 1743, according to legend, the last wolf in Scotland was killed by a huntsman near Inverness. Long regarded in folk takes and history as a slayer of babies, a robber of graves, a devourer of battlefield dead, its extinction was widely celebrated. But since then, deer have multiplied, destroying the vegetation on which an array of wildlife depends, and it is clear that the entire Highland ecosystem has been thrown off balance by the elimination of a top predator.

Jim Crumley believes the old stories are pure fiction – a distortion of reality which prevents people from thinking rationally about the huge benefits wolves could bring. With reference to wolves in other cultures and places, from the south-west of England to Scandinavia and North America, this is a passionate polemic which argues for the return of the wolf to heal the damaged land.