Conservationists Are Howling Over Liam Neeson's Latest Movie 'The Grey'
New York(CBSNewYork) -- Local conservationists are taking on the number one movie in the nation. "The Grey" shows actor Liam Neeson struggling for survival against a pack of wolves.
But the wolf keepers at the Westchester Wolf Conservation Center told CBS2's Lou Young that they're upset about the way the animals are being portrayed in "The Grey".
"This movie does exploit an irrational fear, and it's going to keep growing," said Spencer Wilhelm. "They used wolves in making that film. Behaviorally, wolves are not going to do things like that."
The conservationists at the center raise and care for endangered wolves before releasing them into the wild out west, and in the south to improve ecological balance.
In the wild the wolves face an already hostile human environment.
"We've had wolves released from here and just months after those releases those wolves were illegally shot and killed," said Maggie Howell.
The center's twenty-five wolves are kept far from human contact and fed from a meat locker filled with local roadkill.
Experts say that wild wolves will avoid contact with a person, even one carrying raw meat.
When CBS2's Lou Young left the meat and the camera with the wolves they refused to approach until the humans were long gone, not like in the movies.
The experts at the center say that the film has created a teachable moment. They have no problem with people seeing the movie as long as they understand that the characters in the film are fictitious.
"I love thrillers. Movies like this are fine as long as people understand that this isn't reality," said Rebecca Bose.
It's believed that the last wild wolf was killed in New York State in 1893 by a hunter, since then coyotes have claimed the area as their home.
Have you seen 'The Grey" and do you view wolves as friend or foe? Let us know in the comments section below...
