While many people are advocating for putting wolves back on the endangered species list, others are trying to figure out how to protect themselves and animals from them. Specifically, federal wildlife managers and ranchers are looking at different ways to keep wolves from going after cattle operations. While they have tested various methods, surprisingly, the sound of Scarlett Johansson's voice seems to be the perfect wolf repellent.
Scarlett Johansson's Voice Is The Perfect Wolf Repellent
I know, it sounds humorous, but I am actually not joking here. Outdoorlife shares that federal wildlife managers and ranchers have been "experimenting with different audio recordings played by overhead drones." While they have had varying levels of success with different recordings, none seem to work better than those containing Scarlett Johansson's voice.
The drones in the study are "equipped with thermal cameras and/or spotlights." Additionally, they can play pre-recorded sounds to help scare away gray wolves. Some sounds that have proven effective are gunshots and fireworks. However, nothing seems to alarm the gray wolves quite like the human voice. Specifically, the study has achieved significant success by broadcasting the fight scene from the movie Marriage Story. In that scene, both Scarlett Johansson's and Adam Driver's voices are yelling, and are apparently the perfect wolf repellent.
The Details Behind It All
When speaking to The Journal, USDA APHIS Oregon district supervisor Paul Wolf explained why they have chosen this method of wolf repellent. "I need the wolves to respond and know that, hey, humans are bad." They are trying to discourage wolves from coming near humans and/or their livestock. This new potential hazing tool is particularly promising because it does not harm the animals at all.
This will be especially useful in areas like southwestern Oregon's Klamath Basin, where wolves remain federally listed. In those areas, cattle ranchers and wildlife managers are required by law to deal with the wolves in non-lethal ways. I'd say using Scarlett Johansson's voice as wolf repellent counts. In addition to that tactic, they have also used "conflict management tools like fladry, fox lights, and range riders." However, the initial results of this new method proved to be promising.
