Wolves' Population Grows, Habitat Decreases

The whole big problem revolves around the importance of wolves. Initially, they keep deer and elk populations in check, which benefits many other species of plants and animals. The carcasses of their prey also help the environment, and other animals such as brown bears and scavengers circulate nutrients and provide food.

With the absence of wolves, mooses would not have pressure; they become abundant and damage the habitat; they eat the plants in excess, leaving smaller and unprotected the habitat of fish, amphibians, and reptiles. The park-rangers kill and relocate moose in large numbers to reduce their growing population and solve. Other factors such as drought, severe winters, and other large predators have also contributed to the moose decline.

By naturally stabilizing the overpopulation of vegetarian species, aspens, willows, poplars, and other vegetation can have natural growth and development. The plants attract beavers, provide them with food and building materials. Achieve a better habitat for the insects and fishes in the place. The water is improved and becomes shady, deep, clear, and cold. 

The wolves compete with coyotes; together, they share the land. With the absence of wolves, coyotes become much more abundant. Although the coyotes are carnivores, their small size prevents them from regulating large populations of large mammals like wolves do.

Wolves play a vital role in keeping the world of predators and prey in balance. Wolves euthanize sick, old, and genetically inferior elk and deer, allowing healthier individuals to reproduce and perpetuate their species. Wolves feed other animals and improve riparian zones by allowing vegetation to recover along rivers.

Image 1: Wolves have relevant interactions with humans and the environment.

Threat to survival

Human intolerance and persecution have been the biggest problems for the wolf. The predation of livestock is the principal conflict on wolves against humans, a human-wolf competition for wildlife.

People use many means to hunt wolves, including indiscriminate poisoning, trapping, trapping, and hunting, many times for their fur or fun. The territories of Russia, Alaska, Kazakhstan, Canada, and Mongolia have increased the habitat loss and, consequently, the prey number decrease.

Habitat fragmentation has drawn wolves into small areas that cannot support a suitable prey base. The historical wolf territory in the US now has other uses for humans. There are "transient wolves" that may travel or live temporarily in the remaining habitat, but it is unlikely that they will remain and have a local pack. Currently, viable populations remain only in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

By 1978 in the United States, all wolf types were on the federal list of endangered species in 48 states, except Minnesota. Until last year, 2020, when the government removes it. The once on the brink of extinction, the gray wolf in North America has seen its population nearly double in the past five years, with many more advancements coming in 2020. All of the remarkable recovery successes have taken 45 years or more of collaboration and partnerships between the government and states with indigenous tribes, conservation organizations, private owners, and other partners. Nevertheless, the wolf reintroduction as an endangered species is a proposition under the new presidency.

Image 2: The absence of wolves increases herbivores and decreases plants.

A counter back

Wolf conservation efforts in certain states have been successful, too, to the extent that there is an overpopulation of wolves. Overpopulation of an animal species like wolves; can vastly destabilize the ecosystem and increase its conflict with humans.

In Montana, there are about 870 wolves in accordance to state scientists. But reports indicate there may be many more wolves. It is worrying since they want to maintain lower population levels, around 200 animals. Wolves are overpopulated throughout the state and are a threat to livestock producers.

Overpopulation problems lead to increased support for hunting by people, who use it as the principal tool to manage these threats.

In Wisconsin, the wolf population has remained stable in recent years, with approximately 700 wolves spread over 143 packs. So other people think that "There is simply no scientific data or analysis to support this [Overpopulation] premise," according to Natural Resources Commission. "It is simply an excuse to justify hunting a wolf."

As a result, overhunting, in recent consequences, hunters in Wisconsin, kill 216 wolves in less than 60 hours, rapidly exceeding the limit established in the entire state. State authorities had a total goal of killing 200 animals attempting to stabilize their population. However, the deaths quickly exceeded the state limit, forcing the state to end the 2021 hunting season early; evidence opposing the hunt.

Wydeven, representing the Northland College-based Timber Wolf Alliance, said that "The results of the Wisconsin hunt, which ended with 82 % more wolves killed than planned, as an example of why there is no trust in the states to use solid science to handle large canines."

On the other hand, there are many types of wolves classified in "subspecies," many times, the hunters do not know how to differentiate between species and attack types of wolf that they find very threatened, such as the red wolf. The red wolf territories ranged from New York to Florida, but now it is only found in the wild on a small land area in North Carolina. In 2013, more than 130 individuals were in extensive conservation efforts by Defenders and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), but now fewer than 20 remain in the wild.

Image 3: Wolves have had a historic reduction in habitat, actual (green) and past (red).

"This session is an all-out war on wolves," said Nick Gevock, director of conservation of MWF. "We support the ethical hunting of wolves, but this is something different. This; is a determined effort to keep their numbers to a minimum. "Carter Niemeyer, a former federal wildlife agent makes a shocking contribution." They're chasing them with hunting dogs, "he said." That's killing wolves. That is not catching wolves or hunting wolves. "

The territory of the wolves is less along with history. In total, the wolves occupy less than 20 percent of their original range, so conservationist opinions say that they are far from being restored. According to the Endangered Species Law, it includes a species if it is significantly threatened or endangered in "all or a significant part of its range."

"How can 80 percent of the wolf's habitat be insignificant with the species extirpated?" says Mike Phillips, a Montana state senator who is involved in wolf reintroductions for decades.

References

• Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) Fact Sheet. c2014-2019. San Diego (CA): San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance; http://ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/factsheets/ Graywolf.

• Michigan wolves require population control, hunt supporters argue. Michigan Live. Garret Ellison. Feb 24, 2021. Link https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2021/02/michigan-wolves-require-population-control-hunt-supporters-argue.html.

• Wisconsin Hunters Kill Over 200 Wolves in Less Than 3 Days. The New York Times Maria Cramer. March 3, 2021. Link https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/03/us/wisconsin-wolves-killings.html.

• Denver Post.  The associated press. As Colorado moves to reintroduce wolves, some states look to step up wolf kills. March 7, 2021, at 9:22 a.m. Link  https://www.denverpost.com/2021/03/07/wolf-hunting-kills-conservation-livestock/.

•  The Guardian. The associated press. Rarest subspecies of wolf in North America sees population almost double in five years. Sat 13 Mar 2021 03.08 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/13/rarest-subspecies-of-wolf-in-north-america-sees-population-almost-double-in-five-years.

• Living with wolves Organization. Wolves and Our Ecosystems. Link https://www.livingwithwolves.org/about-wolves/why-wolves-matter/.

• News Republic. Brock Fritz. Wisconsin wolf population continues to rise above delisting goals. Oct 15, 2020. Link https://www.wiscnews.com/baraboonewsrepublic/news/local/wisconsin-wolf-population-continues-to-rise-above-delisting-goals/article_3fa0698c-f9a8-5841-819a-6c13a76cce2d.html.

• Nat Geo. Christine Peterson. Gray wolves were taken off U.S. endangered species list in the controversial move. October 29, 2020. Link https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/gray-wolves-taken-off-endangered-species-list-in-controversial-move.

•  Wisconsin public radio. John Myers. Natural Resources Board Members Weigh Law, Science Ahead Of Special Meeting On Wolf Hunt. 5:00 am, Mar. 19, 2021. Link https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/northland-outdoors/6937523-Critics-say-Wisconsin-winter-wolf-hunt-was-too-much-too-soon.

• Animal wellness action Organization. Wayne Pacelle. Mourning in Wisconsin for Slain Wolves in an Unjustifiable Hunt. February 24, 2021. Link https://animalwellnessaction.org/2021/02/24/mourning-in-wisconsin-for-slain-wolves-in-an-unjustifiable-hunt/.