Legacy of the Cold War

[F2d5thCav]

I found this bit from the Telegraph of interest.

The Czechoslovakian wolf dog, which is more slender than a wolf but shares many of its physical characteristics, is a legally permitted breed that has become popular in Italy in recent years.

The breed was created in Czechoslovakia in the 1950s, when an Alsatian was crossed with a Carpathian wolf in an attempt to produce an aggressive breed that could be used as guard dogs along the Iron Curtain.

It was recognized as a distinct breed in 1982. Wolf dogs are highly intelligent, hard to train and need a lot of exercise.

Odd how human conflict can generate side effects with animals.  Another Cold War effect in Europe was that the Iron Curtain prompted the development of species variation because it cut through their natural range.

After the Iron Curtain came down, wolves moved from central Europe into western Europe.  The area where the Iron Curtain stood has in many areas become a "green zone" sheltering a considerable variety of wildlife.

I also ran into animals along the Franco-German border that used the ruins of German bunkers from the war for their lairs.

Cheers