Surely no other animal, throughout history and across cultures, has been as maligned and as persecuted as the wolf. Even fantastical beings born of irrationality and superstition such as werewolves, with humans transforming into a hybrid wolf-human monster, have zeroed in on the wolf as the malevolent, evil component of this satanic blend.
Children's fairy tales, Little Red Riding Hood being the most well known, are filled with tales of scheming wolves bent on victimization of humans. Expressions such as "the big bad wolf" and "a wolf in sheep's clothing" are common dialogue even today; "crying wolf" is less than honorable, "a wolf at the door" is something you don't want. Even "wolfing down your your food" is not something to be done in polite company.
To dispel some of these myths seems nigh on impossible, so it is especially appropriate to have a book that presents a factual account of Canis lupus, devoid of the irrational and hyperbolic excess that frequently accompanies the mere mention of the name. The subtitle to the book is The Illustrated Biography - and wonderfully illustrated it is too.
I found the work of Adam Hook exceptionally appealing.
The book covers every aspect of the life of the wolf from its appearance in the early Pleistocene around two million years ago to the present day. Along the way we deal with subspecies, different forms in Asia and Europe, variations in diet, and population status.
We learn its history, its biology, its family life, its role as a top predator and its primary reliance on large ungulate prey. The role of an alpha female, key to pack success, is covered at length, as is the interaction and frequent animosity between rival packs should they meet. The life of a wolf is short, averaging around five years, filled with tension, conflict, feast and famine, yet all bound together by pack cohesion and intra group cooperation.
The wolf is neither villain nor friend, it is simply a member of the rich tapestry of life on Earth going about its business. For much of man's history wolves were hunted when they impinged on hominid success, but without sophisticated weapons there was little or no impact on wolf populations.
Now mankind has a fearsome arsenal of weapons including high powered rifles that can kill at great distance, poisons, steel leg traps, snowmobiles to chase wolves to exhaustion, and airplanes and helicopters to shoot them from above. The contest is hardly equal!
While there is occasional justification for killing a wolf, much persecution of the animal is fuelled by blood lust and irrationality. Politicians courting rural votes play into this hysteria.
Often, there is pressure to get rid of wolves to protect the population of animals such as deer, antelope and elk, viewed by recreational hunters as "theirs." It is surely the height of hubris to declare that a wolf pack hunting a dangerous adversary like an adult elk or bison, as a matter of survival, has less right to food than a trophy desired by humans.
This is a book for its time. We are eliminating other species at a staggering rate, a thousand times faster than the natural rate of extinction by some estimates. If we are to survive it has to stop. This factual account, free from bias and exaggeration, clearly points out that humans and wolves can both enjoy life on this precious planet - our only home. Surely, that's a admirable goal for all of us and, given the will, we can achieve it.
Wolf: The Illustrated Biography - Princeton University Press
Douglas W. Smith
Hardcover - US$35.00 - ISBN: 0780691281674
224 pages - 6.5 x 9 inches (16.25 x 22.5 cm)
100 colour illustrations
Publication date: 23 June, 2026
