What's the Deal with Wolves???

Just over a week ago- April 8, to be precise- a rider was introduced into Federal Budget Bill that would remove gray wolves the Endangered Species List in 5 western states. Although Congress has previously intervened with a number of wildlife matters, this occasion marks the first time in history in which Congress has single-handedly "delisted" a species.

So what's the deal here??? Is this a "legit" delisiting for species that has recovered? Or is this the work of some angry ranchers flipping shits about wolves and sheep? Unfortunately, there seems to be almost no clear answer. Wolf conservation remains one of the most controversial wildlife topics in our country's history, with heavy bias on both sides of the argument. While conservationists and wolf-lovers across the nation have vied for the protection of these magnificent animals, the people who actually deal with wolves on a day-to-day basis have repeatedly argued that wolves pose threats to their livestock.

But before we begin to address that, let's ask ourselves: What exactly is the status of the Gray Wolf? Despite centuries of persecution by man, wolves remain widespread on a global scale- ranging across Canada, Central Asia, Siberia, and some of the less densely populated areas of Europe. Still, just by looking at the map, it's shocking to see how much territory they've lost in North America. Whereas wolves may have once roamed as far as Mexico, it seems that their only remaining strongholds are the Upper Great Lakes and two isolated pockets out west.

The fact that there are ANY wolves remaining in the Lower 48 is largely due to intense conservation efforts and reintroduction programs. Just 15 years ago, a few Canadian wolves were brought to Yellowstone National Park, and since then, they have made a dramatic recovery (from 66 individuals to 1,651). The same goes for the Wisconsin and Minnesota, where legal protection has allowed wolf populations to skyrocket.

According to state senators and wildlife officials, the wolf populations have risen well beyond expectations and have reached the point where they are spreading into human-occupied areas, feeding on livestock, and causing trouble for local farmers and pet owners. Aside from taking a few sheep or cattle every now and then, people- particularly hunters- are worried about the wolves' impact on elk and deer populations.

The latter view, however, is controversial for a number of reasons.
First of all, it's hard to determine just HOW many elk the wolves are taking. Studies on this matter are few and far between, and without proper research, its nearly impossible to determine whether wolves should be held responsible for declines in deer and elk populations. According to studies by the International Wolf Center, a single wolf may consume between 14 and 19 deer-sized game animals per year. Multiply that by few thousand and it would seem like that's alot of kills, but in truth, this is NOTHING compared to the number of the deer and elk that starve, collide with vehicles, or are taken by hunters every year. By keeping deer and elk populations in check, wolves actually do alot of good by preventing them from overgrazing and outstripping their food supply.

Unfortunately, it seems like the recent delisting of wolves was more of a political move than something that was actually backed by scientific evidence. Although 1,651 may sound like a huge number of wolves, it's really nothing if you consider the fact that this is the entire American West we're talking about. That number could plummet just as fast as it went up, so perhaps Congress needs to think things through before they allow something like this to pass.