USFWS Biologist Joe Fontaine with Gray wolf pup from the first litter born to Yellowstone wolves
credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
My new Huffington Post commentary on wolves and the politics of hunting and conservation is just published at this link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brenda-peterson/why-wolves-matter-the-gre_b_790616.html
In the cold, dawn light of Yellowstone's Lamar Valley, I watched the Crystal Creek wolf pack at play. It was 1995, and these were the first wolves to return to Yellowstone in 60 years. Fifteen years ago, we had no idea of how successful and popular wolf reintroduction would be. Or how wolves would revitalize this damaged ecosystem -- astonishingly increasing the health of everything from trees to songbird populations.
That morning, the vast, panoramic meadow below was abloom with spring wildflowers as the Crystal Creek alpha male and female loped across the green meadows, followed by their rambunctious pups.
"This is history in the making," said Park ranger and wolf researcher Rick McIntyre, as he let us take turns watching the wolf pack through his spotting telescope. "Our children will thank us for this."
McIntyre, author of The War Against the Wolf: America's Campaign to Exterminate the Wolf, had no way of knowing then that from these few small bands of wolves returned to Yellowstone in 1995, there would now be 1,650 in the Northern Rockies. But this still is far from original pre-hunting numbers; and only five percent of their former range.
"Look!" he pointed excitedly. "Over on the far ridge . . . do you see the grizzly?" (READ MORE at
Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brenda-peterson/why-wolves-matter-the-gre_b_790616.html
Here are a few photos to illustrate that article from respected wolf researcher, Cristina Eisenberg, author of the ground-breaking book The Wolf's Tooth and from Rick McIntyre whose book, The War Against the Wolf is a classic. I wrote about wolf reintroduction in Build Me an Ark: A Life with Animals and have followed this issue over the last decade. Please get involved in wolf conservation. Visit the Huffington Post and contact your Congressional representatives to ask them to stop any bill to delist wolves from the Endangered Species List. And to stop any renewed wolf hunts in the Northern Rockies.
Wolf pup and ranges in Yellowstone, circa 1995 First wolf reintroduction
Wolves howling. photo credit: Cristina Eisenberg
TO GET INVOLVED, PLEASE VISIT: http://www.nrdc.org/media/2010/101004.asp
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