The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-11-06
REFORMING ANIMALS.
EVEN THE FEROCIOUS WOLF
MAY BE SUBDUED.
1t May Be Accomplished Either ..y Cruel :
ty or kindness-The Un:a My
Stork and Its Tricks
Tanning the Zebra.

It is doubtful whether there are any
performances or exhibitions of a much
more ancient character than those
demonstrating the power of man over
wild or domesticated animals. These
have always been popular alike among
the savage. the semi-civilized and the
most intellectual races of mankind.
In the east the snake charmers have
been recognized from the very earliest
period of which we have any record,
these men generally performing with
the most venomous and deadly species,
from which, however, they have al
ways extracted the poison fangs; but
as the glands secreting the poison re-
main, aud the fangs themselves have
an awkward habit of growing again.
a succession of them being in readi-
ness to start into growth and supply
the place of any that may be broken,
it follows that some very awkward re-
suits have from time to time followed
the exhibition of poisonous serpents.
In the classic ages of Greece and
dulLdlo WCIC IL o
quently exhibited, and records of them
remain in many of the classical au-
thors.
Is With regard to the training of such
animals, says the Detroit Free Press
two systems are adopted that are most
opposite in their methods. One is
that of controlling the animals solely
by the influence of the fear of man,
the other teaches them by means of
kindness, and stimulates their efforts
by the constant giving of rewards.
When this latter system is adopted
with immature animals, it is astonish-
ing how docile even the young of the
most ferocious beasts may become
In the case of the older animals, es-
peclally of the beasts of prey, they are
usually controlled by the superior
strength of mind and will of man. In
these cases, unfortunately, a sudden
outburst of temper may take place,
when the superior physical strength of
the quadruped may prove fatal to the
performer. AS exhibitions, those per-
formances in which the intelligence
and docility of the animals have been
acted upon by kindness and the ex-
pectation OF rewards are much more
interesting than what is called lion
tanning, and the subjugation of the
more powerful carnivora by fear.
In its native state the wolf is the
largest and most ferocious of all the
canine group. It is so fierce that many
of the older naturalists regarded it as
utterly untamable. In countries where
they abound, wolves destroy not only
cattle and horses, but men. In 1875
nearly 200 persons were destroyed by
wolves in Russia alone, and the dam
age to cattle in some years is esti-
mated at nearly 8,OO0,O0 roubles.
The wolf is very widespread animal,
with slight variations in color and
size; it extends from the east of Asia;
through India and Europe to North
America, having in all these countries
the ferocious character, killing-espe-
cially in the cold season, when much
pressed by hunger-men, women, chill
dren. cattle and sheep; but the wolf
taken young becomes perfectly tame;
is attached to it's master, learns to live
with dogs, and acquires from them the
habit of barking, which is entirely un
known to it in the wild state. The
stock in Holland is everywhere pro-
tectad. 1t is regarded as a good ON en-
when it builds upon the housetop.
The stork is possessed of a very con-
siderable amount of intelligence, and
may be taught to perform tricks, jun p
through a hoop at the command Of
their owner. Another at the report of
a pistol, falls as if dead; while others
perform in imitation of Blondin, by
walking along a rope stretched across
the stage.
1t is doubtful whether any animals
exist that are not amenable to kind
ness, and consequently that can be
trained. The polar bear was at one
time regarded as utterly and hopeless
ly untamable. but there are instances
where even this ferocious beast has
been trained into docility.
The general opinion with regard to
zebras is that they are perfectly I'M
tamable. 1t is difficult to account for
the prevalence of such belief, which
has no foundation whatever in fact.
Zebras can be tanned and ridden with
as great degree of facility as horses.
Why they should not have been utiliz-
ed in this manner it is difficult to i'm
agine. 1t lis true they are natives of
the African continent, where the gen.
eral custom has been to destroy and,
as far as possible, extirpate all the
large wild animals in place of training
them for the use of man, as is done by
the more civilized races of Asia. The
Asiatics for thousands of years have
subdued, tanned, and utilized the ele-
plant. The African elephant a much
larger and finer species, has merely
been pursued as an animal yielding
ivory: but it is as readily amenable to
discipline, and is as useful when tanned,
as it's Asiatic relative.