Pursued vs. Protected

So, if you watched even a little bit of the documentary, you'll know that the Gray Wolf has been pursued by many. As people settled more and more in the U.S, for example, wolves were seen as a threat to livestock. So farmers saw it fit to exterminate any that happened to cross into their territory. Also prized as a big game animal, wolves turned into the hunted instead of the hunter. This led to wolves nearly being wiped out in the U.S. Another problem, as with a lot of species, is habitat destruction. Even though wolves can be found in many types of habitat, all liveable places that wolves may roam is being replaced with housing estates, roads, etc.


Only in recent years are Gray Wolves being protected. After the disaster in Yellowstone National Park, where the elk population exploded, nearly wiping out the aspen and willow trees native to the area, and the coyote population nearly took out all the small animals because they couldn't attack the elk, people realised that the eco-system relied hugely on the wolf. When they brought back the wolves to the park, it was soon realised that the wolves thinned out the herds of elk to manageable sizes which allowed the native species of aspen and willow trees to grow back. They also allowed the coyotes to feed on whatever scraps were left after a feed so the small creatures, like beavers and raccoons, were allowed to make a comeback. It was discovered that the wolves actually targeted weak/sick elk in the herd, which kept the herds strong and healthy.


So now the tables are starting to turn for our wolfie friends. I just hope they turn in time before it's too late and we lose yet another beautiful creature of this earth.


Sources: http://www.defenders.org/gray-wolf/fact-vs-fiction
http://www.macalester.edu/~montgomery/GrayWolf.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_wolf