Wolves never completely disappeared from the old upper Northwest. While grey wolves had to be deliberately re-introduced to the Northern Rockies at great expense, the Endangered Species Act allowed the few wolves holding out in northern Minnesota to repopulate the Great Lakes region until now there are 4,000 occupying their old habitat
[map: courtesy USF&WS]. They are facing their first challenge from man. With more numbers and the
political capitulation to de-listing comes the re-establishment of trophy hunting in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Minnesota has the largest population of wolves in the Lower 48 (2,921) and the state has established two seasons for wolf hunting and trapping. Six thousand permits have been issued with a quota of 400 and already at the close of the first season 123 wolves have been killed. Minnesota charges residents only $30 for the privilege of killing a top predator. Wisconsin has set a quota of 201 wolves for a four month season.
Seventy-three Wisconsin wolves or about 10% of the estimated population have been killed in just the first two weeks of the season. Deer hunters must be ecstatic, but conservationists are upset. As with most things associated with the wolf, a cultural symbol of great power, people have strong opinions about killing a vital part of the natural ecosystem for sport. Research has shown that wolves enrich a ecological system by raising biodiversity. Yellowstone riverine ecosystems rebounded from elk overgrazing after the re-introduction of wolves*. The return of inhumane trapping and hunting has to rationally be considered a step backward in scientific wildlife management. It is time to give wolves back the protection they need by initiating the federal listing process and let nature take its own wise course.
*last week seven Yellowstone wolves were shot dead just outside the Park borders. Five of the animals were wearing radio collars as part of a research study. Just seven more reasons conservation organizations want the grey wolf relisted under the federal Endangered Species Act. The response of state governments to delisting is irresponsible especially after so much effort and expense has been expended bring the species back from the brink of extermination.
