"Friend's treachery" pushes an Iraqi citizen to prove "wolves' loyalty”
Shafaq News / Bahaa al-Ma'adhidi, an Iraqi citizen of al-Fallujah district, al-Anbar, was born in 1985 and has been raising dangerous predators since he was a child, the most prominent of which are cobra snakes and jackals, locally known as "Wawi".
"I started raising and taming parrots, but it was not enough for me, so I started taming cobra snakes and jackals. However, my father strongly opposed it, which made me stop what I was doing."
He continued, "Eight years ago, I finally managed to convince my father to raise, and tame wolves, driven by the treachery and betrayal wolves are known with. However, I had a reason to pick this specific animal; after a close associate of mine betrayed me. So I decided to prove the wolf's innocence."
"I have been raising wolves for eight years, yet none of my family and neighbors have been endangered by them."
"One time, I left for nearly a month, during which no one fed them for more than two days. When I returned, I played with them as if I was never absent."
"If I am attacked in front of my wolves, their features would suddenly change, and they would sprint on the attacker in a blink."
He added that he owned six wolves at the beginning, yet he sold three of them because of the large quantities of food they consume, which costs more than 2 million dinars per month. He also had no place big enough to fit them all.
He also pointed out that wolves do not eat any rotten meat, so large quantities of meat and some parts of chicken must be provided, which increases the cost burden of this profession.
On the profits al-Ma'adhidi makes from this profession, he commented that they are small amounts that he often doubles from his expense to secure the wolves' food. However, he is keen to keep them for compensation and reward.
"Many people still use wolf hair and water to treat certain diseases. Some others buy wolf fangs or other organs for different purposes."
"My wolves live in a cage inside a residential land next to my house that belongs to my brother, who has been asking me to keep the wolves somewhere else in order to build his land. Now, I do not know what to do and where to move them."
"Many residents of the area have filed a complaint against me for raising wolves in a residential area, but they could not prevent me. I am not insane to raise them near my children if they pose any danger. Also, the security authorities did not take any action to prevent me or even approach me."
He also said that he owned many other animals, but the lack of a suitable place and the lack of a zoo in al-Anbar forced him to sell them one by one.
Al-Ma'adhidi added that the governor of al-Anbar and local officials should allocate a place in the governorate and turn it into a zoo similar to al-Zawraa' park in Baghdad.
