Wolves are an iconic keystone species that have been an inextricable part of the North American landscape. Two million wolves once roamed North America freely but as settlers came to the new world, the wolf population became threatened and by the 1940’s, they were extirpated. In the 1960’s, the dwindling wolf population became federally protected under the Endangered Species Act. Currently, the North American wolf population is estimated at 18,000.
In the last thirty years, the wolf population have slowly recovered but their habitat range is less than 10% of their historic range. Wolves have been under attack by both state and the U.S. federal wildlife agencies for many years. In 2020, the previous U.S. administration removed the gray wolf from federal protection.
Many states allow for wolves to be hunted, trapped, and poisoned. Currently the state of Idaho is planning to wipe out 90% of its wolf population. Some would argue that there isn’t enough space for the wolf population, even though it has been found there is at least 530,000 square miles of excellent wolf habitat in the lower 48 states.
Across the world, each continent has an iconic species that is able to tell a story about that region long before humans came into existence and for North America, one of those species is the wolf. It is a part of the continent’s geographical, ecological, and evolutionary history. It tells a story that no other species can tell. But yet, here we are standing in the midst of their existence being destroyed.
To advocate and take action for wolves, please copy and paste this link into your browser;
References:
1. https://www.saveourwolves.org/on-social-media/
2. https://www.californiawolfcenter.org
4. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/gray_wolves/
Photo by Thomas Bonometti on Unsplash
