- Title: Iraqi man replaces man's best friend with wolves
- Date: 25th May 2016
- Summary: KUT, IRAQ (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FARMER, ARKAN SHIYAA', SITTING OUTSIDE WITH TWO WOLVES VARIOUS OF TWO WOLVES OUTSIDE VARIOUS OF SHIYAA' SITTING WITH HIS CHILDREN NEAR WOLVES TWO WOLVES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FARMER, ARKAN SHIYAA', SAYING: "When I bring him food, food without blood on it, then it's fine to sit next to him, but if I bring him food and blood touches his teeth, then he will act like he doesn't know me, until he finishes then you can come near him and play with him." VARIOUS OF SHIYAA' PLAYING WITH WOLVES VARIOUS OF SHIYAA' SHOWING WOLF'S TEETH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FARMER, ARKAN SHIYAA', SAYING: "The people in the area and their children come here sometimes like it's a zoo. Instead of going to Zawraa' (a public park in Baghdad), they come here to see the wolves. It's very rare that you can see a wolf from that close distance, pet him and let kids play with him, because it's a wolf." SHIYAA' WALKING WITH WOLVES WOLF IN GARDEN WOLF RUNNING WITHOUT LEAD SHIYAA' CARRYING WOLF WOLF OUTSIDE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FARMER, ARKAN SHIYAA', SAYING: "A man from Basra offered me 3 million dinars ($2,500 USD) for one wolf. I told him even if you give me 10 thousand dinars. I might accept at first but then when you come to my house I'll change my mind because they're close to my heart, if you want one of my kids I have no problem with that but the wolves? No. And my purpose for raising them is that I want to see if they can reproduce away from their natural environment." SHIYAA' PLAYING WITH WOLVES VARIOUS OF WOLVES OUTSIDE HOUSE
- Embargoed: 9th June 2016 10:58
- Keywords: Iraq Kut wolf wolf breeding
- Location: KUT, IRAQ
- City: KUT, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Living/Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0014JAZXW5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: In the garden outside his house in the southern Iraqi city of Kut, farmer Arkan Shiyaa' feeds and plays with his family pets.
But Arkan doesn't have a cat or a dog - instead he has two wild wolves that he keeps at home.
Arkan explained that the wild animals are now familiar with him and he can handle them like pets, but he still takes precautions, especially during meal times.
"When I bring him food, food without blood on it, then it's fine to sit next to him, but if I bring him food and blood touches his teeth, then he will act like he doesn't know me, until he finishes then you can come near him and play with him," he said.
The wolves that Arkan keeps are Arabian wolves, commonly found in southern and eastern parts of Iraq, as well as Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman.
Arkan said that he has become a local celebrity, with many families visiting his home hoping to get a chance to see and even play with the two wolves.
"The people in the area and their children come here sometimes like it's a zoo. Instead of going to Zawraa' (a public park in Baghdad), they come here to see the wolves. It's very rare that you can see a wolf from that close distance, pet him and let kids play with him, because it's a wolf," he said.
He even lets his children play with the wild animals, all under his close supervision.
Arkan said he isn't raising the wolves to sell, even though they'd make him a sizeable profit.
He joked that he had become so attached to the wolves he would rather sell one of his children than his beloved pets.
"A man from Basra offered me 3 million dinars ($2,500 USD) for one wolf. I told him even if you give me 10 thousand dinars. I might accept at first but then when you come to my house I'll change my mind because they're close to my heart, if you want one of my kids I have no problem with that but the wolves? No. And my purpose for raising them is that I want to see if they can reproduce away for their natural environment," he said.
Arkan said his wolves are smaller than the average wild wolf as they are being raised in captivity and are not hunting in the wild.
The Arabian wolf can weigh up to 86 kilograms, and can measure anything between 105-160 centimetres in length.
They prey on domestic pets as well as livestock, and they can be a great nuisance to farmers.
But not for Arkan who hopes to increase his pack by breeding and raising the wild animals from his home. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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