Page 42 - 2008 DT 12 issues

Wolves gray wolf and its five subspecies (the and sheep. As America’s wild lands
Mexican wolf; the Great Plains wolf; were tamed and plowed by settlers,
eware the big, bad wolf! He’ll the Rocky Mountain wolf; the eastern native prey became scarce. Elk, deer
steal your sheep, stalk your timber wolf; and the arctic wolf) once and other typical food sources were
Bchildren and gobble up your roamed freely throughout the North displaced. Large predators in these
grandmother if you’re not vigilant, American continent. By the mid- areas were reduced to chasing
or so we have been made to believe 1930s, they had been exterminated in rabbits and other small prey and,
for generations. Yet, his nearest living the lower 48 states by trappers, hunters occasionally, poaching a cow or
relatives lounge in our laps and on our and the federal government. a sheep to make ends meet. By
beds, guard our children and lavish A wolf pack can consist of from 2 the 1970s, there was no evidence
sloppy kisses upon us as we roll with to 12 (or more) animals, usually lead of wolves in the Yellowstone area.
them on the rug. by a dominant—or alpha—male and The animals were listed under the
There are few documented inci- his mate. Wolves are highly social and Endangered Species Act in 1973
dents of healthy wolves attacking observe a strict hierarchy within the with the provision that any wolf that
humans, at least in harmed livestock could
be legally shot.
when they have been Eyewire Eliminating large
North America, even
in close proximity. Arc- predators from an
tic hunters tell of going e c o s y s t e m i s n o w
to sleep with a wolf pack recognized by some
settled in just outside land managers as a
bad idea. In an at-
their tents. In some areas, tempt to restore natural
however, where wolves Wolves of Yellowstone predators to the Northern
have lost their natural Rockies, the gray wolf
shyness around humans, they have pack. They will signal their submission was reintroduced into Yellowstone
been known to filch backpacks, sleep- with body language and submissive National Park and into central Idaho
ing bags or other unfamiliar “prey,” behavior. Generally, only the alpha in 1995. Three packs consisting of 14
in one instance, even dragging off a pair breeds, but other females may wolves from Alberta, Canada were
small child that happened to still be sometimes breed. Winter mating will released to three specific areas in
produce from 2 to 14 offspring which
inside a sleeping bag. Wolf attacks are cared for mainly by the other fe- Yellowstone. Another 15 wolves were
are more likely when wolves become males in the pack. The pack members released into the deep central Idaho
habituated to humans. Garbage dumps are usually all offspring of the alpha Wilderness. (For more information
attract scavenging predators which, couple, but an occasional lone male on the fate of these wolf packs, go to
in turn, attract photographers. The may be allowed to join the pack. Typi- http://wolves.wordpress.com/wolf-
animals are often fed and treated like cally, a pack will hunt larger animals reintroduction-history/) Studies in
large dogs, creating a scenario for like bison, deer, caribou, etc., but lone Yellowstone have shown that elk
disaster. The animal pays the price wolves must target smaller animals. populations decreased more as a re-
for human folly and extermination Wolves often enhance an ecosystem sult of winter weather conditions and
programs are the result. by culling the sick and weak animals hunter harvesting than from predation
There are only three species of from the gene pool, leaving only the by wolves. When wolves were absent
wolves in the world: the gray wolf strongest to breed. from Yellowstone, aspen and willow
(canis lupus), the red wolf (canis Like other large predators, wolves trees were decimated by enlarged elk
rufus), and the Ethiopian (or Abys- were—and are still—perceived as a populations that ate the young shoots
sinian) wolf, (canis simensis). The threat to livestock, especially cattle before they could mature into trees.

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