Little Red Riding Hood lied: Wolves are not
vicious killing machines. In fact, there are no documented instances
of a healthy, wild wolf killing a human being in North America. Wolves
are an integral part of the natural food web, and their continued presence
is necessary for healthy ecosystems.
What Good Are Wolves, Anyway?
Wolves are an integral part of their ecosystems. As large predators,
they affect other predators, prey, scavengers, and even vegetation. Their
return to an ecosystem can increase the stability and biodiversity of that
system. Wolves can increase biodiversity by competing with other predators,
especially coyotes, for prey and territory. When coyote populations decrease
because of this, the small mammals and birds on which they prey benefit1-3.
The presence of wolves can also increase biodiversity through their ‘leftovers’.
The remains of wolf prey are eaten by bears, foxes, weasel, raptors, and
other scavengers.
Wolves can improve the gene pool of their prey species through time
by culling genetically inferior individuals, such as the slow, the weak
and the sickly4. Wolves
also help to control the population sizes of their prey. In the case
of herbivorous prey like deer and elk, wolves indirectly protect sensitive
plants by keeping the prey population in check5.
All of this contributes to a healthy and thriving ecosystem.
Wolves have a long history of reverence from native cultures. Contemporary
Americans are experiencing a resurgence of interest in wolves and other
large animals. Not only do we enjoy biodiversity and healthy ecosystems,
we like to look at and learn about majestic animals like wolves. Wolf-related
tourism can provide an economic boost to the economies of regions where
wolf populations are thriving.
Why Do Wolves Need Our Help?
Centuries ago, wolves were found all across the North American continent.
Due to trapping, hunting and other "wolf control" measures, wolves were
gone from most of the United States by the early 1970's. The Gray Wolf
was listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 1974,
and since then, wolf populations have grown in some states. Despite
opposition from conservationists who argue that wolf populations have not
recovered sufficiently, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has proposed
reclassifying the gray wolf (lessening the level of protection it receives),
with total de-listing an imminent possibility. When de-listing occurs,
the USFWS will turn management of the gray wolf over to the states.
States must have an approved plan for the continued management and protection
of the gray wolf.
Some states offer management plans for the caretaking
and protection of the wolf that include input from a wide variety of stakeholders.
Livestock producers, hunting groups, conservation organizations and people
who share the land inhabited by wolves all have had a say in the state
management processes, to varying degrees. Although many states’ plans
address these
citizens’
concerns, not all the plans are positive. Mixed in with the positive
measures to protect the wolf are negative measures intended to diminish
them. This package provides an overview of the various plans and offers
the tools necessary for you to promote wolf conservation in your state.
Defenders of Wildlife – a SERC partner group -- has been a leader in
wolf conservation. In recent years, Defenders helped restore
Gray
Wolves to the northern Rockies and played key roles in the reintroduction
of
Mexican
Wolves to the Southwest and
Red
Wolves to the Southeast. You can learn more by visiting
their
wolf
information webpage.
1. Crabtree R. L. and J.W. Sheldon. 1999.
Coyotes and Canid Existence in Yellowstone. pp. 127-163. In Clark, T.W., A.P. Curlee, S.C. Minta
and P.M. Karieva. Carnivores in : The Yellowstone Experience. Yale
University Press: New Haven, CT.2. Fischer,H. 1998. The Wolf Settles in
at Yellowstone. Defenders 73(3): 21-28.
3.
Wilkinson,T. 1997. Yellowstone's Changing
of the Guard. Defenders, 72(4): 6-11.
4.
Mech,L. D. 1970. The Wolf. The ecology and behavior
of an endangered species. University of Minnesota Press:
Minneapolis.
5. Ripple,W.J., Larsen,
E.J. 2000. Historic aspen recruitment, elk, and wolves
in Northern Yellowstone National Park, USA.
Biological Conservation. 95: 361-370.
