The grey wolf is a highly controversial and debatable topic. People have different opinions and viewpoints when talking about what should be done to protect them. The grey wolf population used to be distributed all over the country before the European colonists came to America. Wolves were killed and driven to near extinction. This made me wonder what it was that had led humans to kill that many wolves at the time. For this very topic, looking at the reason why wolves were killed in the first place seems to be a proper start.
When European colonization began in America, the wolf was seen as an enemy to humans. “The livestock, such as cattle and sheep, that they depended on for food and economic resources was potentially threatened by the overwhelming presence of wolves and other predators.” (Missionwolf, 2018) This was the main reason wolves were killed at the time and is still one of the main reasons people are concerned about. Once the wolf was added to the endangered species list, its population started to grow. Moreover, the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone from Canada was a huge success. This has led to a proposal to remove them from the endangered species list. It was claimed that “the currently listed entities do not meet the definitions of a threatened species or endangered species under the Act due to recovery” (Fish and Wildlife Service, 2019) Even though the number of wolves across the country has recovered, it is still nowhere near it used to be. So, I believe, the next question is whether it is possible to reintroduce wolves to where they used to live, or at least close to. If we look at many places wolves used to inhabit, they are no longer suitable for wolves. There are many constructions built, and what was once a wolf’s habitat has become an urban area. This could be tough on the wolf population itself, let alone the challenge of the wolf’s existence near human residence areas.
The reintroduction in Yellowstone should also be considered. It was a success bringing wolves from Canada since the wolf population in America has increased due to the reintroduction. If we look at a worldwide level, wolves are distributed largely in Canada and Russia and still far from extinction. This allows other possibilities of wolf reintroduction in the future. Also, with the remaining wolf’s current numbers and the state’s management plans the wolf is no longer close to extinction in America. And its number is likely to be steady as time goes on. (Fish and Wildlife Service, 2019) I believe that many people would agree that wolves should be protected and not killed for unnecessary reasons. However, the question is, in this changing world, to what extent we should go for protection, and how it will affect the livelihoods of people in the area.
