Scenario from the movie 'Marriage Story', starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, has an impact powerful enough to deter wolves, according to some reports.
Headline: USDA Uses Scene from "Marriage Story" to Deter Wolves from West Coast Farms
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has taken an unconventional approach to protect livestock from wolves in the west coast region. They are using audio clips from the intense fight scene between Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson in the movie Marriage Story, played over loudspeakers on farms, to scare wolves away.
This tactic, known as "wolf hazing", aims to signal to wolves that humans are a threat and should be avoided. The emotional argument from the movie is designed to exploit wolves’ instinctive fear of humans and deliver a message of danger that causes the wolves to stay away from farmlands where livestock is vulnerable.
The USDA's strategy also includes other auditory deterrents such as loud music, like AC/DC's "Thunderstruck", and sounds such as gunshots and fireworks. Drones equipped with thermal cameras and loudspeakers are deployed to monitor and emit these deterrent sounds, leading to a notable decrease in livestock losses from wolf attacks in regions like Oregon’s Klamath Basin.
Marriage Story, which premiered in theaters in 2019, follows a couple going through a difficult divorce. Laura Dern won the Oscar for best performance by an actress in a supporting role in 2020 for her role in the film.
The USDA has confirmed that they are broadcasting audio clips from Marriage Story over farmlands. Paul Wolf, a USDA district supervisor in Oregon, stated that the wolves need to respond and know that humans are bad.
CNN has reached out to the USDA for more information about their unconventional methods to protect livestock from wolves. The Wall Street Journal reported that gray wolves are causing problems for livestock herds in the American West. CNN has also reached out to a representative for director Noah Baumbach for comment.
This new addition to the USDA's efforts to deter wolves has been met with some controversy, as it involves using a scene from a movie to scare off wildlife. However, the USDA maintains that the tactic is effective and necessary to protect livestock and the livelihoods of farmers in the region.
Movie scenes are often used in entertainment to create an impact, and now they're being utilized in the general-news sector as well. The USDA's innovative approach to deterring wolves involves broadcasting a tense fight scene from the movie Marriage Story, blending entertainment and crime-and-justice issues in an unanticipated manner, to safeguard livestock on west coast farms.
