Last Wolf

New and updated edition.

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.

About the author

Jim Crumley was born and grew up in Dundee, and now lives in Stirlingshire. He has written over twenty books including The Great Wood and The Winter Whale, and has made documentaries for BBC Radio 4, Radio Scotland and Wildlife on One.

Product details

• Authors: Jim Crumley
• Publisher: BIRLINN LIMITED
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 05.02.2026
• EAN: 9781780279817
• ISBN: 978-1-78027-981-7
• No. of pages: 256
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology > Ecology; NATURE / General, Nature / Environmental Conservation & Protection, NATURE / Animal Rights, SCIENCE / Earth Sciences / General, NATURE / Animals / Wildlife, NATURE / Animals / Mammals, natural history, NATURE / Animals / Wolves, Animals & society, Conservation of wildlife & habitats, Wildlife: mammals, Conservation of the environment, Nature and the natural world: general interest, The Earth: Natural History General, The Earth: natural history: general interest, Conservation of wildlife and habitats, Wildlife: mammals: general interest, Animals and society / Animal rights - issues and debates