Ranger Bob’s Lookout Station » The Plight of the Wolves

The Plight of the Wolves September 3, 2006

Posted by Annette H in : What Can I do to Help? , trackback

The air is crisp and the pathway is barely lit by star and moonlight. I wait in anxious silence with the others huddled together on the path. Then, an excited twinge travels through my body as I hear a lone, low howl drift toward us. I fight the urge to say anything in my excitement as we prepare to return the howl and hope for more to respond. It was less than 100 years ago that other’s hearing that sound would feel a twinge of fear and maybe reach for their gun. Wolves once roamed throughout North America from Canada to Mexico. But fears built from myths, legends, fairytales, and misunderstandings taught our ancestors to think of wolves as some kind of evil, agressive, and ruthless beast. People hunted them to extinction throughout most of North America (as well as other places on the planet). Wolves have long been extinct in Missouri, and my trip to the Wild Canid Survival and Research center was the first opportunity I had to hear the howl of a wolf in person (not on television). Later, I had the opportunity to visit the center during their open house and saw some of the wolves in daylight.

In recent times, scientist have studied wolves and discovered the important role they play in the natural environment. Wolves hunt in packs (like a family unit) and usually go after small game or smaller or weeker animals. This actually helps keep overpopulation of various species in check. It also promotes better health of the larger species. (Since wolves tend to chase the weeker animals when they are hunting species such as deer, moose, or elk.) People used to think of wolves as some kind of lone killer, but they generally live in packs. Each member of the pack has a particular role to play (much like a family unit). In the United States there are two species of wolves; the red wolf and the grey wolf. Several research centers began to bread wolves in the hopes of reastablishing them in the wild in the future. Grey wolves were released in Yellowstone National Park, and has seen tremendous success. Red wolves (which is smaller and had been extinct in the wild), were released in the Carolina’s and have been able to establish some wolf packs. However, their numbers are fewer and they encounter problems with traffic and inbreeding with wild dogs or coyotes is also a concern. Scientist are continuing to monitor their progress. (You can learn more from the links that I’ll post at the bottom). Mexican Grey Wolves are a subspecies of the Northern Grey Wolves. This species is the most endangered in North America. They have been released in the Apache National Forest in Arizona and allowed to roam through the neighboring Gila National Forest in New Mexico. However, many people in the surrounding area did not agree with the release. Several wolves have been found killed by shooting and poison. Of course their our concerns by some ranchers about the safety of their livestock. (These are concerns of ranchers in Arizona, New Mexico, and from the northern states that still have populations of grey wolves.) This is a valid concern, because it effects their lively hood. Defenders of Wildlife and other conservation organizations have set out to educate the public about wolves, to dispel the old myths and misunderstandings about them. Some ranchers have also been supporters of the wolf reintroduction. While wolves may occasionally kill domestic livestock, it isn’t common. Defenders of Wildlife has taken a proactive stance to work with Ranchers to prevent these occurances and established a fund to pay for lost livestock (if it can be proven that the culprit was a wolf).

One of the biggest concerns right now is with state’s developing policies to allow killing of wolves. Defender’s of Wildlife( http://www.defenders.org) post various petitions against these practices. You have to click the click the take action now or the wildlife at risk link to access the petitions. The most herendious practice right now is the arial shooting of wolves in Alaska. The Board of Game has established a policy to utilize airplanes to track down, chase, and kill wolves. This goes with their game management strategy to control the moose population. They claim that if they kill the wolves, the moose population will increase. (Of course the underlying motive here is to increase the moose population so hunter’s will be allowed to hunt a larger number of moose). This reminds me of what happened to the buffalo over a century ago. Hunters were paid by the government to kill buffalo. This was to allow expansion in the west and to destroy the Native American’s source of food. Hunters would ride westbound trains to slaughter the buffalo. I’m surprised that we haven’t learned from past mistakes. The hunting of wolves with planes is even more barbaric and supplied by about the same motives (selfishness and greed). Opponents to this practice claim that the GOB has adopted this policy without much scientific study or accurate counts of moose and wolves. It also ignores public opinion. The citizens of Alaska of already voted against this policy two times. However, the threat remains because the GOB took the legislation to court and finally got the judge to allow them to continue the practice (at least that’s the nearest understanding I can get from what I’ve read). I can’t quiet figure out how voter’s can vote against something twice, and an organization be able to go against the voter’s wishes (I guess I’m niave and optomistic). Here’s some links that I found informative http://www.wolfsongnews.org/news/Alaska_current_events_1626.htm and http://www.wolfsongalaska.org/pred_mythology_wolf_control_alaska.htm . It’s interesting to note that the Alaskan Governor Murkowski supports arial killing of wolves and it is the governor who appoints the members to the Alaskan Game of Board. (It’s no wonder why the GOB supports this inhumane policy and don’t want to listen to public opinion or scientific studies.) However I’m glad to report that in the recent election, Governor Murkowski came in last against two oponents. (I guess the public is having their say after all.) Even so, Alaskan wolves need your support to stop the slaughter during the next hunting season that is quickly approaching. You can sign a petition on the Defender’s of Wildlife website against the slaughter in Alaska and it will be automatically sent to President Bush.

Here or some other good links for the wolf lover: http://www.wolfsanctuary.org, http://www.wolf.org/wolves/index.asp, http://www.wolfhaven.org/default.htm ,protectwolves