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My Love of Wolves By Laura Brennan (a personal project) |
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I have always had a soft spot for wolves. As a kid I would read books and watch any specials about them. I even did my master's thesis on these elusive creatures. These endangered animals have only one other animal to blame for their plight--man. The wolf has been feared for centuries. What man can not understand he destroys. Wolves once roamed most of North America and Europe but has been killed because we believe they prey on livestock. In the US it is estimated that less than 1% of the sheep and cattle living in wolf range are killed by wolves. Americas' perception of the wolves comes from our European ancestors. The wolf was used as a symbol of evil throughout Europe. Stories such as "Little Red Riding Hood" and "The Three Little Pigs" continue to reinforce this fear. In recent years steps have been taken in the US to increase the population of wolves. Two years ago 10 wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. The wolves reproduced and it is estimated that 60-70 wolves now roam Yellowstone. The same wolves have now been ordered removed from the Park. Outcry from ranchers is again threatening the wolf. Lobbyists for the removal of the wolves convinced a judge that wolves already existed in the Park. The National Park Service policy is not to reintroduce animals if they already exist. When the NPS did their initial research, they found no wolves living in Yellowstone. The Lobbyists insisted that the wolves were there and that they drifted down from a pack in Montana. Earlier this year the judge ruled in favor of the ranchers. He has not given a date for the wolves' removal so that an appeal can be filed. A group that is trying to dispel the wolf's bad reputation is the Wolf Education and Research Center in Winchester Idaho. The Nez Perce Tribe donated land to the education center for their wolves. Eight wolves are currently housed in a 20-acre enclosure for observation of the wolf pack. The visitor center provides exhibits and information about the wolves. Other programs include visiting lectures and performances by artists, scientists, musicians and historians. Friends of the Forest offers sponsorship kits for Wolves of the Nez Perce. The money from these kits goes towards the upkeep of the WERC and the wolf pack. I could not resist when I heard about these kits. You are able to pick the wolf you wish to sponsor. I chose Motomo. His Blackfoot name means "he who goes first". He is a large black wolf with yellow eyes. He holds a mid-rank position in the pack and is comfortable interacting with the others. He is playful and curious, eager to interact and play games of chase. He is also often alone. I chose him because he reminded me of myself. Once you choose your wolf, you send back your response and they send you a certificate with a picture of your wolf. I have been a sponsor now for 2 years and plan to continue for as long as I can. If you would like more information about the WERC they have a new website http://www.wolfcenter.orgPersonal Note: I have been a National park Service ranger for 5 years working in Manhattan. I know it's hard to believe, but, yes, there are National Parks in Manhattan. I always wanted to be a ranger ever since we visited the bigger parks when I was in the 5th grade. So I went to the University of MD and received a B.S. in Natural Resource management. I dreamed of being in Yellowstone or Yosemite, but I ended up in Manhattan. |
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Editor's Note: Some interesting sites to visit: hali Friends of the Wolf is a conservation group devoted exclusively to the protection of Wolves and Wolf habitat. |
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