Hunting techniques and legal instruments resulting in extermination of the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) in Czech lands
Abstract
Gradual return of animal species that were previously exterminated by humans back into the region of Middle Europe is source of discussions and controversies for decades. As a result of usually well-meant species protection, several species of birds (White-tailed Eagle, Great Cormorant) and mammals (Wild Boar, European Elk, Brown Bear, Euroasian Lynx, Gray Wolf, Euroasian Beaver) reemerged in course of 20th century.
It would be naïve to assume that reemerging of these species was viewed only positively by the public. The reasons for which these species were exterminated in the first place often remains the same, on both purely practical (economical damage) and emotional (fear of their presence in nature) level.
Presented article recapitulates the circumstances of extermination of the Gray Wolf in the Czech lands. Methodologically it pursuits combination of two points of view, the legal one and the hunting one, because evolution of legal framework of hunting was equally important towards the objective as was the development of hunting methods and techniques.
To better explain some of the hunting methods, biology and ethology of the Gray Wolf is presented as well.