What happens when a horse meets six wild wolves?
I don’t know about you, but just thinking about it fills me with dread.
Fortunately, the unique video below isn’t half as bad as it sounds. You can see for yourself, further down the article.
The video in question was captured by a nature photographer in Abruzzo, Italy. Six wolves surround a single horse and, unsurprisingly, show plenty of interest.
The horse may have a size advantage, but, together, the wolves are more than capable of bringing it down.
The horse, however, doesn’t appear to be in the least bit scared. Suddenly, it sits down in the snow and begins to roll amongst the wolves. The photographer, himself probably convinced that the game is up, even shouts “No!” behind the camera.
Of course, with the horse seemingly defenceless, right about then would be the perfect time for the wolves to move in for the kill. Strangely, they stand, transfixed, and watch; not interested in attacking at all.
Swedish animal expert Jonas Wahlström weighed in on the event with the Italian wolves. He told Swedish news outlet, Aftonbladet, that it would have been a different story if it had taken place in Sweden.
“Had it happened in Sweden, the wolves would have acted differently. A horse is roughly the same size as a moose, and so they would have attempted to kill it without hesitation. A moose in Sweden would obviously have tried to run; it certainly wouldn’t have laid down with the wolves around.”
Not used to each other
So, why is the Italian horse unafraid? Why did the wolves not attack? Wahlström explains:
– The footage is from Italy. This means that the horses are not familiar with wolves, at least not in being eaten by them. Similarly, Italian wolves are not used to chasing moose and big animals, as their cousins in Värmland are. They mostly scavenge for their food, or settle for smaller fare like hares and, sometimes, a dog or two.
In his words we find an explanation. The wolves simply don’t understand that they’re capable of hunting the horse, just as the horse does not perceive the threat the wolves pose. Instead, they can afford to live, at least to some degree, side by side.
In the video below, you can see the unique video of the horse’s encounter with the wolf pack:
Were you also fascinated by this video? Do you know anyone else that would be? If so, share it so that your friends can witness it, too!
