Protecting the wolves
that howl
Ever wonder about Yellowstone and the wolves? Do the wolves cause harm to Yellowstone
National Park? The answer to these questions is no.
In
fact, it is quite the opposite as residents of Wyoming they need to take an initiative
to protect the wolves. What would others
purport when dealing with this situation? What are some refutations that some
people or organizations would come up with?
According to Smithsonianmag.com, reporter Frank Clifford, “after wolves killed five of his cows, he
consulted with federal wildlife officials, who pass sentence on incorrigible wolves.
“The feds proposed taking out the whole pack and we acquiesced," he said.
This particular
quote was from Roger Lang.
Realistically,
what it demonstrates is Lang’s displeasure with the problem of wolves attacking
his cattle herd. As the reader can understand this happens to be an isolated
case.
Wolves provide many different answers
to Yellowstone Park do their nature. But they should not be held accountable
for killing farmer’s animals.
According to Wyoming.sierraclub.org Protecting Wolves in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem article, there is
the idea that wolves will kill any type of livestock or animals but apparently
there is a low instance of this happening.
And what happens if a farmer’s goat, sheep, or cow roams outside of the
boundaries? Well, what happens is the wolves will come and kill the animal. The
farmer will probably get aggravated at the lack of control of wolves and propose
the government do something about it. What do the farmers get in return? What the farmers actually do get is
compensation from Uncle Sam. Yes, that’s right the farmers get monetary help
for Jodie or Billie the cow biting the dust do to a wolf. Even if it happens there is not a lot of
wolves meandering through farmers lots and picking off sheep and cows.
Picture a grey wolf looking
inquisitively at an elk. The grey wolf beautiful in color looks at the snow and
then looks up at the elk. The wolf runs
rapidly through the forest and lunges for the elk and misses. The wolf then
decides to attack the elk and brings it down successfully. The blood from the
elk oozes out of the wound. The elk is
dead but this is not a bad thing because apparently it is important for the
other Yellowstone creatures and wildlife. As a whole interworking system this
maintains that the wolf is fed but the scavengers and other animals are able to
eat as well.
According to yellowstonepark.com Reintroduction Changes Ecosystem article, it talks of the very nature of
the ever changing lands that are Yellowstone National Park. Not only has this but it exercised the idea that
the wolves are integral part to Yellowstone. The main reason the mangy dogs are helpful to
the park is providing food for other wildlife. Chris Wilmers is a biologist and
he expanded on the idea that at one time elk would die from the hardened
winters. This was probably because the snow pack would have prevented the elk
from eating. No matter, the point is now
the other wildlife would rely on the freshly killed elk for food. In effect, it
set off a chain of reactions that inevitably leads to a changed as he words it
‘ecosystem’.
Wolves can provide a natural cure to
overcrowding of elk. They will kill elk but this provides the means for
controlling overpopulation of the elk that roam and tromp through the
Yellowstone lands.
According to nationalparkstraveler.com Kurt
Repanshek, he writes about how wolves should help keep
the elk population down to a reasonable number. He talks to a Doug Smith. He
happens to be Yellowstone's wolf project leader. “"Is predation a factor?
Absolutely, a huge one. But we can't weight it," he said. "The
feedback is that it's all wolves, and that's not the case." This quote was
from Doug Smith.
Conclusion: Based on this
information it is imperative that we protect the wolves at Yellowstone. If we
don’t there will not be as rich a balance in terms of Yellowstone Park. The wolves keep the elk population down by killing some of the elk.
