Explainer: How to Fight off A Pack Of Wolves

In the new Liam Neeson movie The Grey, a group of oil rig workers without conventional weapons must defend themselves from a pack of vicious wolves after their plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness. Is there a good way to fend off aggressive wolves? Yes. Intimidate them. Yelling, throwing sticks or stones, waving your arms, and generally making yourself look as big and scary as possible can deter predatory wolves, which tend to become submissive when other animals demonstrate dominance. In general, short or immobilized people and children are more vulnerable to wolf attacks. If you can't scare a wolf away and you don't have a viable weapon, you might try to wrestle it into submission. A Canadian man dissuaded an attacking wolf by putting it in a headlock; another reportedly choked a snarling wolf with his hands. Some biologists recommend making a fist with your hand and shoving it down the wolf's throat to prevent it from biting; if a wolf can't breathe, it will probably decide that attacking you isn't worth the effort. Climbing a tree could also compel a wolf to leave you alone. But never run away. As any playful dog owner can guess, doing so could trigger a wolf's predatory instinct to chase you. Unfortunately, few of these rules apply to rabid wolves, which tend to attack ferociously and without provocation. Obvious symptoms of rabies in wolves include foaming at the mouth and a total lack of fear. If you're being attacked by a rabid wolf, your best bet is a shotgun and good aim. Of course, wolf attacks on humans are extremely rare outside of Hollywood. A government report in 2002 found only 49 well-documented cases of wolf aggression against humans in Canada and Alaska during the previous 70 years. Most deadly attacks between wolves and humans are started by two-legged beasts.