Face to Face with a Killer | Lobo | The Wolf That Changed America | BBC Earth

Sir David Attenborough looks into Ernest Thompson Seton's 1893 journey to New Mexico in an attempt to kill the cattle-killing wolf named Lobo, and through Seton's experience lead him to portray wolves in a sympathetic light.Subscribe: bit.ly/BBCEarthSub
In this moving clip, Seton finally faces with his oldest adversary, only to find his resolve wavering. Fascinating short video from the BBC natural world documentary Lobo - the wolf that changed America.
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[@joe777731]

The story is incredibly heart-breaking, but what really makes me cry is the blatant, unrepenting damage that we humans are doing to our planet and the other animals on it.

[@bkjeong4302]

This was one of the pivoting moments in conservation, so... The way Seton trapped him (using his mate as bait) was just plain sadistic.

[@lovenationalbus]

...and then they strangled him!

[@Vinceformatrix]

True but he didn’t kill him on the spot he felt guilt

[@bkjeong4302]

@@lovenationalbus They actually didn’t; they captured Lobo alive and he starved himself voluntarily.

[@Robb1977]

@@lovenationalbus they strangled Blanca, not lobo

[@bluexboxgamer2613]

Yeah, but he regretted what he did and went on to be the founder of the American conservation movement. (He essentially found his Redemption. If anyone gets what I mean.)

[@marniegevedon8409]

Wolves are beautiful creatures who shouldn’t get treated like they do. If you were a wolf and was out in the wild constantly running from humanity you would want some peace but NO! So many people hate wolves and I don’t know why. #SaveTheWolves!

[@captainopvious7498]

No i cant imagine if i was a wolf i had the luck and privilege to be a human #HumanSupremacyBlackAndWhite~!

[@marielynnpaquet1197]

Mens work for their money and paid grocery for eating. Wolves hunting.....it seems also hard to understand ???

[@thomasbrown5445]

Now it seems to be Coyotes that the world is against. You hear alot less good things about them..than Wolves.Really what's the difference?

[@doug2555]

@@thomasbrown5445 Coyotes are smaller and hunt almost always solo.

[@fantapants]

I love this story, despite it being so sad

[@WatiTheChef]

Seaton's choice to spare Lobo had made no difference. for the death of Blanca had been the silver bullet; The shot through the heart that really killed Lobo.

[@abetheconservationist595]

Ernest Thompson Seton wrote a book called "Lobo the King of Currumpaw" and there's a Disney adaptation called "The Legend of Lobo".

[@Ellie333jmtqkl]

This is why people think wolves are monsters: people moved there cattle where the wolves lived. the wolves thought it was new food so they started to hunt the cattle. Then people began to shoot wolves because they where killing there cattle. This is what I think about it: THEN MOVE YOUR DAMN CATTLE

[@bluexboxgamer2613]

Or build better fences.

[@likeaboss6421]

Still one of the saddest storys I've ever heard and it's easy to see who the real killers are in this story and it's not lobo and his pack 💔😥🐺 I feel pain for that wolf and his beautiful mate even after all this time, we have so much to learn 😥🐺💔

[@robertstone7975]

BBC Earth this video pulled at my heart. Thanks for posting it.

[@smolexfundie6458]

I cried so much when I read the story in a book. xD

[@mr.darkowl8595]

Book name?

[@yarikfreerunner1]

@@mr.darkowl8595 It is a series of stories in a book called Seton Thompson, I believe.

[@mickeymouse-qm4cy]

Me

[@lycaonpictus9662]

@@mr.darkowl8595 Lobo the King of Currumpaw was the name of the story, and it was in a book titled Wild Animals I have Known. If you search for "Lobo the King of Currumpaw" you can find the story and read it for free, as it was published in 1898.

[@mandyinseattle]

Even the hunters in "Peter and the Wolf" spared the wolf. We need to get over our fear and hatred of these beautiful, intelligent, loyal animals. If you like dogs, how can you hate wolves? That propaganda has been purposeful and profit-driven, but it's a new day and those old ways of thinking aren't accepted anymore. The slaughter should end -- both for the wolf and for our own souls and spirits.

[@edgrensgatan]

I agree. Recognize Myself in Seaton

[@Xenosaurian]

I so agree with these wise words!

[@ForgotowToUserName]

they are beautiful .. but lately have become vermin so i hunt.

[@thefakebriskeh]

mandyinseattle dude that's been done

[@dragonquill3182]

Agreed.

[@bolch88bb8]

No i am not gonna cry....everytime i watch one of these animal videos i get all teary eyed...

[@MsCutestgirlinthewor]

This is a wonderful video. I have seen the film, and this is a beautiful moment. But also the saddest... Oh I´m crying almost... Very touching and beautiful video. Thank you!

[@TravisLoneWolfWalsh]

The look in Lobos eyes as he saw him was a look of surrender I think he wanted it to be done do it Seaton you coward you have taken my Kingdom and my beloved Mate....do it shoot me coward

[@tenorosmanaj5588]

lol chill man

[@judithcampbell3354]

Travis Walsh he also forgot to mention that he caught lobo using 2 leg traps, not 1 because he knew how smart this Wolf was! Such a sad end to this beautiful Wolf

[@jrtime228]

I've heard a few stories like this, where the wolf was spared because of a change of heart that occurred as a hunter took aim to kill said wolf.

[@bambry9]

I’m glad videos show their true sides, they go on instinct as does every animal. They aren’t bad creatures and people need to understand that they were here before us, and it’s not their faults for being in communities or attacking live stock. It is what it is and people need to grow up and appreciate life.

[@red_tigergirl5770]

The song is: Forgiven - Medwyn Goodall

[@TheSamBlonde]

Beautiful but heartbreaking...

[@music0cool]

thats so sad and touching. :(

[@TravisLoneWolfWalsh]

Lobo: Do It Seaton...Shoot me Coward you already taken my Kingdom, My Family, and most of all my beloved Wife....Finish the Job if you have the Guts Seaton:.....I can't do it.....Forgive....me

[@lovenationalbus]

But he did do it. The story is lies.

[@karimashraf5676]

That's amazing

[@niallmurphy99]

this is a great show. would love to be able to watch the whole thing online and would pay for it

[@billschmidt4192]

very good story!!!

[@GunillaoAnders]

Lobo told us so much .... if we only had listened

[@sanstheskeleton7386]

I legit almost cried

[@sxyngel]

yes..they were nearly wiped out of existence by hunters who hunted ..trapped and shot them at any chance. until in 1995, they were brought back to the park in yellowstone in USA to be re-introduced after a 65-year absence. Now, people don't hunt wolves..and i hope it stays like that. These creatures are a living fairytale . so beautiful.

[@music0cool]

that is so sad! *cry cry* :( poor blanca...poor lobo. he must have loved her so much. maybe her death even made him insane

[@maureenbernhardt1934]

And beautiful

[@damianm-nordhorn116]

Face to face with a killer. That's every time man(kind) looks in the mirror.

[@Cybersharky_]

So.....everyone is a killer? Seems legit

[@Bob-ux1dn]

Killing is a nature thing

[@damianm-nordhorn116]

@@Cybersharky_ Hunter-gatherer.

[@damianm-nordhorn116]

@The Bloody Doctor Wolves and nature's other predators usually don't hunt/kill just for fun and definitely not for trophies. Also they don't keep their prey in abhorrent conditions for months or years before packing them into crowded transports taking them to the slaughterhouse. As for myself, I haven't killed animals for food yet (*)but multiple times for mercy. .. and also nursed/saved some. .. which, led to some more killing with last year's 🦔 first needing to be free of dozens of maggots in its infected wound and carrying about 200 ticks ;) *Here in 🇩🇪 hunting and gun licenses are a much more serious issue, didn't find the time yet.

[@Cybersharky_]

@@damianm-nordhorn116 ok so you just proved my point lol

[@sharokhjoudi4693]

MUCH MORE GRATEFUL THAN USED TO BE FOR YOUR ATTRACTIVE AND WONDERFUL MOVIES/VIDEOES. HOPING YOUR SUCCESSFUL.

[@nothuman100]

The last sentence is the Best

[@shayhuntz6139]

love wolves!! :3

[@wolfsoldier78]

Props do the dude in the video. May you rest in peace

[@sxyngel]

i second that.!

[@thirdeyeandme]

qual è il nome della canzone iniziale? ( what's the name of intro song?)

[@LawClash]

What really happened: Seton and others with him killed Lobo's wolf mate, and eventually caught Lobo, who was following his mate's scent. Seton couldn't kill him because he saw the loyalty in Lobo, etc. So he brought Lobo to his house, chained him to a post, and Lobo died later that day. Seton said he knew it was because of a broken heart.

[@pehotaknife]

очень красиво

[@kevindeoz1739]

Lobitos !!!!

[@DJKEBAB]

How can i download this video? Does anyone know where I can download Wolf Videos? Thanks

[@Razgriz_01]

Wolves are beautiful.

[@victorferawm]

I want to see the whole story now

[@ricksolo1174]

i forgot about the wolf lobo this is a good reminder

[@ChunWong]

wow

[@Raphsophomes]

I never thought of wolves this way in the first place as I grew up with a timber wolf, I got my face bit when I was real young got a faint scar but even then it was an accident and nothing violentm

[@TheChristianFairy]

Can anyone name the song that plays in the background of this clip?

[@carlosthecactus]

Hear, hear!

[@aslamashik8390]

ആ കഥ കേട്ട ഇവിടെ വന്ന് ഇത് കണ്ടവർ ഉണ്ടോ❤️

[@mmcn5552]

That’s Heart breaking. Killing lobo harsh. “Never killing any other wolf again is a great deed and a good idea!”

[@gladheateher4now]

After seeing the show/and seeing lobo dead put beside his partner wolf drew tears to my eyes/ what a sad moment in American History

[@SkullakaAce]

@mrc926 Really? That is pretty amazing. I was not aware of this.

[@stephenhans189]

❤❤❤❤

[@DizGyrl22]

They should of made a movie out of this like they did hachiko. Wolves/dogs are one of nature's most loyal animals ^_^ it's soo sweet

[@2serveand2protect]

Funny! It seems even more amazing when it is enraged... Wonderful creature!...

[@turtle2759]

May Lobo and Blanca rest in peace

[@eleanorcm7033]

I take it the killer we're facing is homo sapiens?

[@lostsouls1573]

Yes.

[@therovingcloud1361]

Pack of wolves survive, a lonely wolf dies....

[@mrmemanme]

@niflap dude watch the rest of the documentary. Lobo and wolves are only responsible for a tiny fraction of livestock death, also Lobo is special for several reasons. He was one of the few remaining wolves in the region, also for months he outsmarted Seton, even going so far digging up traps. (the buried traps had been successful on all the other wolves) Lobo is also special as he made seton realise that Wolves and the american wilderness should be preserved not destroyed.

[@judyann7418]

😞🐺😭🐺💔🐺 I love wolves poor wolf so sad.😢

[@growththroughthemiddleyear4195]

One of the greatest American short stories but sadly under-taught and studied in our schools! I've never had a stronger reaction teaching a short story in middle school than Lobo! If you're an educator and interested I have a work-pack built around unpacking the story, language and themes: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Lobo-King-of-Currumpaw-Short-Story-Full-Unit-3911962

[@Midnightthepup]

his eyes looked like he was trying to tell the person he was in pain :/ x

[@kibabell]

This is just sad and unfortunate

[@TravisLoneWolfWalsh]

Lobo...my god he is a Legends I couldn't kill him if my life would have depended on it

[@megaman12521]

@erlendbu actually there is both animals and humans. when a baby is not loved but supplied with the essential food and shelter, it dies the next day but the others who were loved and nurtured were alive. There were studies in animal depressions and yes animals have feelings and its usually the "Brainy" animals, but when their mate dies, they can and might commit suicide feeling there is no longer a reason to live. It is usually common in most mammals and birds.

[@saadjamal2011]

whts the song called

[@SnidgetAsphodel]

People do still hunt these majestic creatures, unfortunately. Legally or illegally, there are those that have no remorse for taking their lives.

[@Carlium]

I only agree for a reasonable hunt. That includes: health issues / broken body parts which makes it hard to move, deceases, overpopulation, overload on local ecosystem, emergency (Cold temp. No food, no clothes etc.) etc. I'm against hunting for fun or "my [pet] got eaten by nature" or something...

[@ceebotf2]

These were the type of things that needed to be done for society to get where it is now. I don't suggest society is good or bad.. but I do firmly believe you have no right to hate men like this, they were all a small part of building the castle that you are all currently enjoying the comforts and fruits of today. If you can truly comprehend this then you can see that to condemn men of the past is equally to condemn yourself for living in a society that they helped forge. If you are to continue looking at this man as evil, then it is the same as spending blood money, for as long as you live in society.

[@lycaonpictus9662]

Seton transitioned from hunter to conservationist, and through his writing he played a significant role in changing attitudes toward predators in early 20th century America. It is a great story. No one should be hating him as there might not be wolves in the United States today without him. The Ernest Thompson Seton Legacy Project Blog summed him up well: "The extinction of the gray wolf once seemed a good idea. For some it still is. For others, the elimination of nature’s wildlife is yet another example of the gradual diminishment of beauty from the world. In the late 19th century, on the winter plains of northeastern New Mexico, a lone wolf hunter learned an important lesson on this subject. Ernest Thompson Seton would help bring about a shift in our consciousness about nature that altered everything thereafter, although he himself would be scarcely remembered as one the lead authors of that change. His accomplishments, paradoxically, have become so pervasive in our society as to render him nearly invisible.... ... Change of course is a process, not a destination, so Seton’s work in the world remains incomplete, but that in itself makes this ongoing examination all the more vital. In 1901, seven years after giving up his side career as a wolf hunter, he wrote, “My chief motive, my most earnest underlying wish, has been to stop the extermination of harmless wild animals; not for their sakes, but for ours, firmly believing that each of our native wild creatures is in itself a precious heritage that we have no right to destroy or put beyond the reach of our children.”

[@Eyerock88]

*tear*

[@gabby4kyo]

love wolves! poor lobo D;

[@andywerner838]

😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@zsedcftglkjh]

Lol They forgot to mention that Lobo's skinned hide is hanging in the museum at Philmont Scout Ranch, NM. It would have been priceless if they showed the skinning in the documentary! "So sad. So noble. So bereft of his natural dignity. If only we could TIME'S UP! START SKINNING!" *plunges knife into its gut* :D The freakout would be priceless!

[@davidford7064]

Zachary Holler troll ,are you kidding me!

[@JeggyReggy]

David Ford I've seen it in person

[@Sam-vs5kg]

Now philmont is burned to the ground, I guess it was the curse of Lobo.

[@arraneon7982]

Someone tell me the story.

[@-rexxx]

that1dude0092 yes they are in dangerd and I could not watch the first 20 secs :'(

[@peterjohnmunar8400]

He learned a lesson that if he kill an animal that has a family it will also die because of sadness thats why he never tried to kill a wolf anymore

[@TheEvolvedMind]

Well, although I love both this documentary and wolves with all my heart, I still have to disagree with that statement. First off, the alpha pairs mate, but they only do so as long as they are at the top of hierarchy, and such positions can quickly change, especially if age, disease or injury is involved. And pups eat last, grown-ups eat first and then back at the den the pups lick them in the corner of their mouths, which stimulates "vomiting" (forgot the word I was thinking about) to get food.

[@Greig1424]

Sir David is a british treasure

[@NotSoSmartAtheist]

Animals accept reality and the way life must function in order to exist.

[@tonyfressola]

Lobo was brilliant. This man tried to give lobo's pack poisoned meat. Lobo took all the meat and brought it to his doorstep. I don't believe this wolf didn't see the trap or snare. When lobo's entire pack was killed, this dog committed suicide.

[@grimmjowreyes9477]

I really agree cutting off the heads of gods hard work and putting it on the wall as a accomplishment of destroying a loved one and killing gods work.

[@tonyfressola]

Jase9lives: I agree with you, I was in a bad mood, I shouldn't have said that humans are the vermin. I meant or should have said that people who hunt wolves are the vermin, do you agree with me this time???? That man who hunted lobo, never killed a wolf again.He quit. He first put poisoned meat all around lobo's den. That night lobo returned all the poisoned meat to the man's cabin.At his door. When the man opened the door the next morning he tripped over the meat. Very Sad story.

[@TheHydrakeHydra]

REAL FACTS story was true..

[@thesungodprince]

@UKVivaLaVida it is?

[@theferry97]

@flamingwafflez21 i totally agree.

[@Lunerlol]

@flamingwafflez21 Very true. Though it could be fun for a starving person. I only hunt deer for food.

[@TheMediaJudge1]

Such a story as this, is one not seen often. It is an example to all of humanity at just how much the animal kingdom is both a kin to ours and better than ours, all the things we uphold valor, strength and courage, friendship, family and love each one can be found in the natural world and even though it is also brutal as ours is, there is a difference. The difference being that evrey action of an animal is in someway tied with survival whilst ours do not, ours are tied by our desires and motives

[@searletssky9124]

noooo

[@WatiTheChef]

Why has nobody made this into a film? XD

[@blueeyes14215]

I wish i knew where i could watch this entire season. I have the movie called The Legend Of Lobo and his mate is a black wolf..but thats movies for you. But I would still like to watch this entire thing. And i was right, wolves mate for life. and thats what they did.

[@cleversoar]

Awesome , wolves in tagalog here in philippines is " lobo " :D

[@-kat-1878]

I know that cuz I'm a Filipino!!!!!

[@dev7415]

Potato Gaming #pinoy4life

[@miguelmenendez8538]

CleverRC Gaming Philippines was a Spanish colony, lobo is wolf in Spanish language.

[@betterthenspirit]

Lobo was robbed of his freedom like an eagle he was also like a lion shawn of its strength and a dove whos lost its mate he was put to the ultimate test in fact we arnt good as we say we are the opisite, we are the worst

[@TaraInDaHood]

Is this a movie? If so whats the name?

[@HuntressJohanna]

"The Legend of Lobo", and based on a true story.

[@superflydavedj]

@Super

[@charlesyniguez2392]

Lobo was kool ,but in those days it was ruff and a 1000$ was a lot of money and that seat on was smart and earned it ,and didn't die him self,wild and free those wolves

[@allforrock4]

For most people it's the act of tracking and out thinking an animal's instincts. It's the same reason I fish.

[@Razgriz_01]

are grey wolves endangered? just wondering...

[@nightshadewolff1986]

I had a wolf named kono he died at age 12

[@melissadobson5096]

I'm sorry that's so sad

[@emilianomoreno3531]

sure. whatever helps you sleep at night.

[@littlelink935]

Emiliano Moreno hahahah yeah.. whatever float your boat men

[@lindseyhosten]

They killed the both of them?😱😭😭😭😭

[@KARENK72886]

love u Seton and Lobo and Blanka

[@lovenationalbus]

Nothing to love. He killed him with a rope!!!!

[@lycaonpictus9662]

@@lovenationalbus That isn't the full story. Seton was affected by his experiences and transitioned from hunter to ardent conservationist. He played a significant role in changing attitudes in early 20th Century America toward the natural world, particularly predators' role in it. You have to keep in mind that he was born in the 1800s and like all of us, was a product of his time.

[@moc1831]

It is not as simple, as you are stating. I think it is a kind of instinct or urge. Not only to kill, but to be a part of nature again, with all it involves. But because we humans have become to much stronger than the any other animals, we must accept the responsibility we have to watch out for the nature we so easily destroys by our ignorance. Hunting is also about caring for nature, and in some countries it is actually protecting nature.

[@eveningmistonwater]

i can see fishing, hunting,trapping in order to survive or at least if you prefer meat that wasn't "factory farmed" but for sport can be such a waste. probably the reason wolve etc. go after cattle and such it's like fish in a barrel compared to trying to track and bring down what few prey animals are still out there.

[@carlosvillegas6113]

why the term killer..