Questions for discussion

Detention centres1. Discuss the issues raised in the Detention centres story with

another student.2. Who is an asylum seeker?3. Why have most asylum seekers left their home countries?4. Complete the following sentence: ` When asylum seekers

enter Australian waters, the Australian government has…’5. Why are asylum seekers put into detention centres?6. If asylum seekers are allowed to stay, they

become____________.7. Why is the decision to house asylum seekers at Inverbrackie

controversial?8. How has the local community reacted to the decision?9. What do you think should happen to asylum seekers who

come to Australia?10. How did this story make you feel?

Write a message about the story and post it on the BtN guestbook http://abc.net.au/btn/guestbook.html

Afghanistan debate1. Before watching the BtN story, record what you know about

the war in Afghanistan.2. What do both major parties believe about Australia’s

involvement in the war?3. What is the Greens position on the war?4. In the past few year, public support for the war in Afghanistan

hasa. Increasedb. Decreasedc. Stayed the same

5. What three reasons were given in the argument for Australian troops fighting in Afghanistan?

6. Choose one reason and briefly explain it.7. What arguments were given against Australia’s involvement in

the war? 8. Briefly explain one of the arguments against the war.9. After weighing up both sides of the debate, do you think

Australian troops should remain in Afghanistan? Explain your answer.

10. How has your thinking changed since watching the BtN story?

`Should Australia continue fighting the war in Afghanistan?’ Vote in the BtN online poll.

© ABC 2010

EPISODE 30

26TH OCTOBER 2010

Broadband1. Summarise the BtN Broadband story.2. How has the connection to the internet changed over the

years?3. Explain the difference between dial-up and broadband.4. How much faster will the National Broadband Network be?5. What is Australia’s internet connection ranked in the world?

a. 3rd

b. 20th

c. 50th 6. At the moment, Australia relies on a communication network

made from______________.7. What are the advantages of fibre optic cables?8. What will households that can’t get fibre optic cables use?9. How will the National Broadband Network affect you?10. Illustrate an aspect of this story.

Test your knowledge in the online quiz.

Hay fever season1. Explain the Hay fever season story to another student.2. What is hay fever?3. Describe the symptoms of hay fever.4. Explain the allergic reaction that happens for someone

suffering hay fever.5. Why is spring particularly bad for people with hay fever?6. What does the `pollen count’ tell us?7. What can be done to ease the symptoms of hay fever?8. How does Reuben control his hay fever?9. Apart from taking medication, what else can be done to

reduce hay fever symptoms?10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the

BtN story?

How does being allergic to something change your life? Consider the following allergens; nuts, penicillin, milk, eggs, pollen, seafood, dust and animal hair and the reactions they cause. How can they be treated, avoided and managed?

Wolves1. Before you watch the BtN story, make a list of words you

associate with wolves.2. How are wolves portrayed in stories and films?3. Why did almost all gray wolves disappear from Idaho in the

1930s?4. What was done to rebuild the population?5. Why can’t wolves be hunted now?6. Why are some people against the re-introduction of wolves?7. Describe the farmers’ concerns.8. Why does Nancy believe that the bad reputation wolves has is

unfair?

© ABC 2010

9. Explain the connection between wolves and domestic dogs.10. Describe the Nez Perce Indians view on wolves.

Create a narrative or comic strip that dispels the myths or stereotypes associated with wolves.

WolvesFocus Questions

1. Before you watch the BtN story, make a list of words you associate with wolves.

2. How are wolves portrayed in stories and films?3. Why did almost all gray wolves disappear from Idaho in the

1930s?4. What was done to rebuild the population?5. Why can’t wolves be hunted now?6. Why are some people against the re-introduction of wolves?7. Describe the farmers’ concerns.8. Why does Nancy believe that the bad reputation wolves has is

unfair?9. Explain the connection between wolves and domestic dogs.10. Describe the Nez Perce Indians view on wolves.

Investigating wolvesStudents choose one of the following investigations about wolves.

Investigation 1 – The big, bad wolfStudents will investigate myths and stereotypes about how wolves are depicted in fiction (story books and films). Some possible questions/ideas to investigate include:

What words do you associate with wolves? Why do you associate those words with wolves - what do

you think has shaped your perception? How have wolves been portrayed on fairy stories and films?

How does it affect our current beliefs about wolves? Choose a story or film/animation to analyse. Think about the

following questions: What stereotypes about wolves were in the story you chose? Whose point of view was the story told from? Describe the wolf characters. What was the message of the story?

Negotiate with students ways to present their research. Create a narrative or comic strip that dispels the myths or stereotypes associated with wolves.

© ABC 2010

EPISODE 30

26TH OCTOBER 2010

Learning AreaSociety and Environment, English

Key learningStudents will investigate facts, myths and stereotypes about wolves.

Stories and films with wolves:Little Red Riding HoodThree Little PigsAesop’s FablesThe Boy Who Cried WolfPeter and the WolfBeauty and the BeastHarry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanWolverine and the X-Men animated series ABC 3http://www.abc.net.au/abc3/shows/5252.htm

Investigation 2 – Wolf factsSome possible questions/ideas to investigate include:

What do you know about wolves and wolf behaviour? What are the physical and behavioural characteristics of

wolves? What is the relationship with dogs and wolves? What are the similarities and differences between the wolf

pack family and the human family? Create a picture and/or word collage that illustrates the physical and behavioural characteristics of wolves. What adjectives and adverbs describe wolves?Create a quiz about wolves with facts from your research.

Investigation 3 – Wolves in the wildThe BtN story explained the re-introduction of wolves into the state of Idaho in the United States. Research the views of the different groups affected:

Environmentalists Scientists Ranchers (farmers) Wolf conservation groups Local community

Students can publish their research findings as an oral presentation, poster or Power Point presentation.

ReflectionHow have your perceptions about wolves changed since completing this investigation?

8 Related Research Links

ABC Foreign Correspondent – Who’s afraid of the big wild wolf?http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2010/s3042760.htm

National Geographic – Wolfhttp://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/wolf/

Library Thinkquest – Wolves in folk and fairy taleshttp://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/00343/fairytaleindex.htm

PBS Nova – Wolves and dogs quizhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/wolves/wolfdog.html

© ABC 2010

Science Kids – Wolf factshttp://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/wolf.html

Hay fever seasonFocus Questions

1. Explain the Hay fever season story to another student.2. What is hay fever?3. Describe the symptoms of hay fever.4. Explain the allergic reaction that happens for someone suffering

hay fever.5. Why is spring particularly bad for people with hay fever?6. What does the `pollen count’ tell us?7. What can be done to ease the symptoms of hay fever?8. How does Reuben control his hay fever?9. Apart from taking medication, what else can be done to reduce

hay fever symptoms?10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the BtN

story?

Allergies

Students will research information about hay fever and other allergies. Negotiate with students how many activities they will need to complete.

Is there anything in the classroom that could cause an allergic reaction? How could you allergy-proof your classroom? Come up with some recommendations.

Use the transcript of the BtN story http://www.abc.net.au/btn/teachers.html and highlight unfamiliar words. Find out the meaning of each word and put them into a sentence.

Write five true or false statements about allergies. Give them to a group of students to work out.

Apply and Analyse

© ABC 2010

EPISODE 30

26TH OCTOBER 2010

Learning AreaHealth and Physical Education, Science

Key learningStudents will develop knowledge and understandings about different allergic reactions and their effect on the human body.

What are histamines and what symptoms do they produce? How do antihistamines work? Draw a cartoon to explain how they work. http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/index.html

How does being allergic to something change your life? Consider the following allergens; nuts, penicillin, milk, eggs, pollen, seafood, dust and animal hair and the reactions they cause. How can they be treated, avoided and managed?

Write a response to the following statement: `Allergies are on the rise in Australia.’ Research the topic and present your response to the class.

Evaluate and create

Create a flow chart to show the body’s reaction to hay fever or another allergic reaction (choose one). Include in the chart the antigen entering the body, the immune system’s reaction and the physical symptoms.

Interview someone who has an allergy. Write a diary entry describing the allergy and treatment from their point of view.

Create a public service announcement about an allergic disorder; hay fever, asthma, eczema or anaphylaxis.

8 Related Research Links

ABC Behind the News – Hay feverhttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/v3/stories/s2094489.htm

Child and Youth Health – Hay feverhttp://cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=285&id=1724

KidsHealth – Allergieshttp://kidshealth.org/Search01.jsp?SearchSection=3&Mode=Search&SearchTextArea=allergies%20p3

Raising Children - Symptoms, tests & treatmenthttp://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/hay_fever.html

© ABC 2010

Asthma SA - Asthma Friendly Schoolshttp://www.asthmasa.org.au/index.php/selectedContent/1451053390

BtN: Episode 30 Transcript 26/10/10

On this week's Behind the News:

Afghanistan nine years on why are we fighting there and why do some think we shouldn't be.

We click onto the government's broadband plan to find out how our downloads might change.

And get your tissues out. We take a look at hay fever season.

Hi I'm Nathan Bazley thanks for joining us again on Behind the News.

© ABC 2010

Also in the show today we'll head to the wild, wild west of America and find out which star of your favourite old fairy tales has got people there stirred up.

But first today.

Detention CentresReporter: Natasha Thiele

INTRO: There's been a lot of fuss about the government's announcement to set up two new detention centres in Australia.

So what is a detention centre and why are some people so worked up about opening new ones?

We sent Tash to check it out.

NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: Some people are prepared to do almost anything to escape violence and poverty in their country and head to Australia for the chance of a better life.

They can spend weeks with little food and water on boats that sometimes look like this!

When these boats enter our waters and the people want to stay here, the Australian Government has a responsibility to look after them while they're being processed.

That's where Immigration Detention Centres come in!

© ABC 2010

In the past, asylum seekers were taken to centres like Baxter or Woomera in South Australia, which have since shut down.

They were surrounded by fences and lots of security, so some people thought they looked like jails.

They argued they weren't places for families and kids to stay at.

PROTESTORS: We won't stop 'til we free the refugees.

Christmas Island, a territory between Australia and Indonesia, is one of the places asylum seekers are sent but at the moment it's full.

Asylum seekers might not have the right paperwork, so they're held in detention until the government either approves or rejects their application to stay.

To do that, they need to prove their story is true and they genuinely need a safe place to live, otherwise they'll be sent home.

But there are still lots of people trying to come to Australia and the current facilities are overloaded, so the government's decided to open more detention centres.

JULIA GILLARD, PRIME MINISTER: I don't think it's the Australian way to, you know, have kids behind razor wire.

One will be at Northam near Perth and will house about 1500 men.

© ABC 2010

And about 400 people will go here at Inverbrackie in the Adelaide Hills.

REPORTER: This'll be different from the detention centres you saw before. It'll still be fenced and people can't come and go as they like and there'll be security but they'll get all the food, healthcare and schooling they need.

But like most things, there's always controversy!

Not everyone's happy with the decision to make room for more asylum seekers.

TONY ABBOTT, OPPOSITION LEADER: How will opening more beds stop more boats?

Some reckon there are lots of Aussies who need to be helped first, like people who need a house or better medical services.

WOMAN 1: The government seems to be more concerned about helping other countries and letting them in.

MAN 1: I can't go and get the dole, so how come they can come here and, you know, get supported?

Another side of the argument is that Australia's detention centre network is overcrowded and more places are needed, so the opening of extra centres is the right move.

WOMAN 2: I'm not against it. I know I'll probably make a lot of enemies.

© ABC 2010

MAN 2: I certainly don't have any worries about them. The fact that I've got a farm next to them won't really affect me.

Opinions have divided communities, but the government has promised to work with local people and work through any problems they have.

Presenter: And we'll let you know how it goes when people arrive there.

OK, let's catch up with what else has been happening in the news with Alfie.

The Wire

A national TV campaign has been launched to help bridge the gap between Australia's Indigenous and non-Indigenous population.

13 year old Madeleine addressed Australians to ask for Indigenous Aussies to be given better job opportunities.

She says a huge effort could end inequality in just one generation.

More than four million dollars of free air-time was donated to the `Generation One’ campaign.

******************

In earthquake ravaged Haiti, more than two hundred and fifty people have been killed by an outbreak of cholera.

© ABC 2010

Cholera is a bacterial infection that comes from dirty contaminated water.

The earthquake didn't cause the cholera outbreak but forced people to live in cramped spaces which has resulted in poor sanitary conditions.

War DebateReporter: Nathan Bazley

INTRO: Australia went to war in Afghanistan nine years ago.

So you might be a bit surprised to know that pollies have only just got around to debating the pros and con's of it all.

Heading off to fight a war is usually a really complicated decision for a government to make.

So let's take a look at the arguments for and against keeping Aussie forces in Afghanistan.

NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: Nothing stirs up people's emotions like war.

These protests took place in Australia 40 years ago, to call for the return of troops from the Vietnam War.

These days, the war in Afghanistan generates far fewer protesters.

But that doesn't mean most people are in favour of it.

© ABC 2010

NATHAN: Support for the war in Afghanistan has dropped in the last few years. Depending which poll you believe, between 54 and 61 percent of Australian's surveyed want the troops brought home straight away. But in parliament house, it's a different story.

When Australia was sent into the war, it was with support from both sides of politics, the Government and the Opposition.

And now, their support hasn't changed.

In parliament, there are really only a few voices against the war.

Here's a quick summary of the main reasons each side is using in their argument FOR or AGAINST the war in Afghanistan.

FOR: By fighting in Afghanistan, we can hopefully stop terrorist groups.

After the September 11 terrorist attacks, America believed those responsible were based in Afghanistan and being supported by the leaders there.

Some people believe that by fighting those in control there, terrorist groups can't rely on them for support and future attacks might be avoided.

JULIA GILLARD, PRIME MINISTER: There must be no safe haven for terrorists.

© ABC 2010

FOR: We should fight in Afghanistan because our allies, America, need our help.

When the United Sates made the decision to fight, they called on countries that were their friends for help.

Many countries promised support from their armed forces, including the UK, Germany, France, Canada and Australia.

TONY ABBOTT, OPPOSITION LEADER: A premature end to our involvement would tell the Americans and the British that Australia is an unreliable ally.

FOR: We should stay in Afghanistan to help the Afghani people.

The ruling group in Afghanistan, the Taliban, has been accused of denying basic freedoms to the Afghani people.

Some people believe that by fighting the Taliban, we could help these people gain the freedoms we enjoy here.

KID 1: The war is too dangerous and more Australians might die.

21 Australian soldiers have died since we joined the war nine years ago and over 150 have been injured.

Some people fear the Australian death toll could rise if we stay any longer.

KID 2: The Afghanistan war is costing the country too much money.

© ABC 2010

For every year the defence force is deployed in Afghanistan it costs taxpayers 1.2 billion dollars.

The total bill has already run pretty high and some people believe there are more important things we could be spending the money on.

KID 1: We shouldn't fight wars for other countries especially when it might not achieve anything.

Some people say that it's America's war not ours.

We were never attacked so they say we should have stayed out of it.

Others don't see any chance of our side being able to win the fight.

They say what's the point endangering lives if it might not do any good after all.

As you can see despite the war having the support of a majority of pollies, it's a really complex issue and one that the Australian public seem to be split on.

So while our soldiers look like they'll be there for a while yet back home the debate about why they're there may rage on for just as long.

Presenter: Now we'd like to know what you guys think so let's make that our poll this week.

© ABC 2010

Online Poll

The question is: Should Australia continue fighting the war in Afghanistan?

To vote, just head to our website.

Presenter: And let's look at what you thought in last week's poll.

We asked if the farmers or the environment should take priority in the basin plan.

40% voted for the farmers and the environment scored 60%

BroadbandReporter: Kirsty Bennett

INTRO: You might have heard of something called the NBN which stands for the National Broadband Network.

The government plans to spend 43 billion dollars building it but some people are asking if it's worth it.

So what's so special about broadband anyway?

Well Kirsty logged on to crack the broadband code.

And she found that not all internet connections are created equal.

© ABC 2010

KIRSTY BENNETT, REPORTER: It's a sound you might not hear that much anymore. It's dial up internet and it started getting popular in homes in the 90s. It was groundbreaking because for the first time you could dial into the internet from your home computer. But it was also slow and you couldn't really do much more than send a bit of text around.

MOTHER: Get off the internet so I can use the phone.

KIRSTY: It was OK to use back then because all we wanted to do was send an email or surf the net for a short time. People weren't downloading songs and things like Facebook and YouTube didn't even exist! But over the years, we began to ask a lot more from our computers and dial up just couldn't handle it. That's when broadband stepped in to speed things up.

Broadband is a high speed internet connection that can carry voice, video and information to the computer all at once. It's kind of like a highway with lots of lanes that are used to download and upload data and it makes dial up look so yesterday.

The speeds you get on dial up can't handle loads of data like you would need for streaming video. So it might look something like this. But broadband connections deliver information a lot faster so you would be able to watch me without any interruptions. Even in high definition.

To give you an idea, let's download a movie. If you were to do that on dial up it would take about a day! On a type of broadband called ADSL1, which runs at 1.5 megabits per second, it would take around 90 minutes. On a faster broadband called ADSL2+ it would take about 15 minutes. On a cable connection it could take five minutes. But the government's planned broadband is expected to shake up

© ABC 2010

these download times. It expects the new system will run at 100 megabits per second, so that movie would appear within a minute! All those speeds sound pretty zippy but compared to the rest of the world Australia is falling behind.

Australia relies on an old communications network made out of copper wires. Some of it was laid over 100 years ago. ADSL broadband runs on this network. But some households, especially those in rural areas, can't get it because they're too far away from a telephone exchange where the main connection equipment is. So the government wants to put in fibre optic cables so the internet data can get all the way to your house. Fibre optic cables are made up of super thin strands of glass that carry light signals. It's quicker than a copper cable, can digest more data and the connection can travel much further down the line.

It all sounds pretty rosy but there are some households that still won't be able to connect to the new system. So the government will offer them other options like satellite and wireless which can sometimes be slower. The rollout of the new network is planned to take the next eight years. So if this is what we can do with computers now, just imagine what we'll be able to do once Australia's Internet gets more zoom.

Presenter: OK, still on the computer theme, let's have a quiz and this one's a tricky one.

Quiz 1

The question is:

How many megabits make a megabyte?

© ABC 2010

16

8

2

The answer is eight.

A lot of people think they're the same thing but they're not.

We've got a whole broadband quiz on our website this week to help you work it out.

Hay feverReporter: Natasha Thiele

INTRO: How's your nose going today? Having the sniffles and itchy eyes isn't much fun.

But it's that time of year again when lots of us suffer from hay fever.

We wondered what hay fever really is and how people get it.

Tash took her tissue box straight to the source to find out all about it.

NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: Spring. A beautiful season when the flowers bloom and the sun shines bright.

But it's not a great time for hay fever sufferers.

© ABC 2010

We're talking a blocked nose, sneezing, watery eyes and even headaches.

Hay fever is a type of allergy called Allergic Rhinitis, so it's not a fever and it's not always caused by hay.

It's pretty common. About one in five Aussies gets hay fever.

And that happens by breathing in something you're allergic to.

It all starts with your nose, which is just like a filter.

Microscopic particles of dust and pollen can get trapped in the tiny hairs and mucus that line the opening of your nose.

And for someone with hay fever, their body thinks some of those particles are dangerous, so an allergic reaction starts.

REPORTER: We can get allergic reactions at any time of the year, no matter where you live. But at this time, when there are lots of allergen producing plants like grass and flowers, it can be worse!

The particles in the air are called 'allergens' and they can even include things like your pet's fur!

And when that happens, you'll get all those horrible symptoms.

To help combat those symptoms, we can keep our eyes and ears peeled for so-called 'pollen counts'.

© ABC 2010

They're found in newspapers and on the TV news.

WEATHER REPORT 1: And pollen count, 147 there, after yesterday's warm and windy conditions. Not so good for hay fever sufferers.

WEATHER REPORT 2: Break out the summer gear, the mercury's on the rise.

They tell us how much pollen will be in the air.

Low to moderate isn't too bad, high is in the middle, but extreme means just that. Look out hay fever sufferers!

The pollen counts give people with allergies a chance to prepare for the next day.

Someone who knows all about that is Reuben, who suffers from hay fever.

REUBEN: Your nose itches like really strongly, you just wanna scratch the back of your throat with your tongue.

You can take medication like anti-histamines to stop the reaction and nasal sprays to unblock your nose.

There are even anti-allergy injections people can get if their hay fever is really bad.

REUBEN: I take two types of medication; this one is a nasal spray which I can spray up my nose. The other one is tablets, which I can take with a glass of water when it gets really bad.

© ABC 2010

Hay fever experts reckon staying inside during warm windy days or when someone's mowing the lawns can help.

But if you get the annoying allergy and aren't sure what to do, the best idea is have a chat with your doctor or pharmacist.

Presenter: And there's more info about that on our website.

OK, let's catch up with what's been happening in sport.

The Score

They say the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain but in Formula 1 the rain in Korea helps the Spaniard to the lead.

Fernando Alonso has taken out a soggy Korean Grand Prix to wrestle the championship lead away from Aussie Mark Webber, who crashed out early on.

The good news is he still has the power to take out the world championship if he takes victory in the remaining two races.

*********

© ABC 2010

To Ireland now where some of Australia's biggest AFL stars took on the best Irish Gaelic football players in an International Rules match.

The game is designed to be a compromise between the two football codes.

They take the round ball, square field and soccer-style goals from Gaelic football, while crossing it with the tackling and marks of AFL.

The match started fantastically for the Aussie team but the Irish managed to claw back some ground, thanks largely to this individual effort from Bernard Brogan.

The Irish finished the game seven points behind the Aussies with one match still to play in the annual series.

*********

Finally to tennis where Australia has been struggling to hit the winners it used to a decade ago.

So now, up and coming players at the Australian Institute of Sport are fine-tuning their instincts through technology.

These goggles and waist pack contain some pretty impressive electronics which measure why and how players hit the ball the way they do.

It's hoped that these goggles could help Australian tennis see a brighter future.

© ABC 2010

Presenter: Ok, let's try another quiz now and it'll help if you're a Potter fan.

Quiz 2

The question is: In Harry Potter, what creature is Professor Lupin?

Werewolf

Dementor

Muggle

The answer is werewolf.

WolvesReporter: Kirsty Bennett

INTRO: From feature films to fairy tales wolves haven't got the best reputation.

And they're not too popular with farmers in some parts of the US either.

For years the wolves were hunted and killed but now they're protected.

Kirsty checked out why that's got some farmers pretty angry.

© ABC 2010

KIRSTY BENNETT, REPORTER: Wolves get a pretty bad rap. They're either a scary superhero like Wolverine or appear as an evil werewolf character in the movies. In Australia, this is the closest we get to seeing wolves. But over in the US and Canada, these animals have roamed in the wild for a long time.

This is one place wolves can call home. It's the Wild West in America - a state called Idaho. Thousands of Gray Wolves used to hang around here but by the 1930s most of them were killed by hunters. Almost 70 years later, packs of wolves from Canada were brought back to the area to rebuild the population. Now, around sixteen hundred wolves live here and in two of the neighbouring states. They can't be hunted either because they're a protected species. And that doesn't please some of the locals, who don't think they belong.

Ron's family has lived on this range for more than a hundred years. His feeling towards wolves is pretty obvious, he doesn't like them.

RON GILLETTE: What are these wolves going to eat? We're in a wildlife disaster right now they're killing near everything. What are they going to do eat our livestock and then start eating humans?

KIRSTY: Ron would normally be out hunting wolves by now. But the US Federal Court has put the animals back on the protected list, so they can't be touched for the time being. It's a frustrating situation for farmers like Luke too. He's had to lock up his dogs and cattle behind huge fences to protect them.

LUKE MORGAN, RANCHER: Now we spend a lot of nights and days worrying about how many livestock is actually

© ABC 2010

getting killed by them. It'll put a lot of ranchers out of business, which is hard on the whole economic deal.

KIRSTY: So for some, wolves are public enemy number one. But for others, they're great mates!

NANCY TAYLOR, "WOLF PEOPLE": Give mummy a kiss. Give mummy kisses. Good boy!

KIRSTY: Nancy has been breeding wolves in captivity for about seventeen years. And she reckons their bad reputation is unfair.

NANCY TAYLOR: They make him out to be a monster, a snarling evil creature which he isn't.

KIRSTY: Here, wolves look pretty similar to your pet dog. And they're not really much different. Many scientists reckon that domestic dogs evolved from wolves. Over tens of thousands of years people have used selective breeding to get dogs for their own use.

So if that's the case, all dogs, including this little fur-ball are pretty close relatives! Hundreds of years ago, before white people moved in, Idaho was also home to the Nez Perce Indians who feel a strong connection to the wolf. Tribal leaders are joining the battle to protect the animal.

This bloke reckons you can't sacrifice a species just because it's convenient. For the time being it sounds like the wolves are a bit safer than they have been in any fairytale.

Presenter: Poor wolf!

© ABC 2010

Closer

Well that's all we have for you today.

We'll see you next time!

© ABC 2010