California's last solitary wolf was reportedly killed in 1924 in Lassen County. Once a widely distributed species throughout the Pacific Northwest, the settlement of European Americans brought the eradication of the Gray wolf from California.
Bounties on wolves had been established in Europe dating back to ancient Greece, so consequently European settlers came to America with this plan in mind. An early Plymouth Colony established a fine from "whoever shall shoot off a gun on an unnecessary occasion, or at any game except at an Indian or a wolf" (Hampton 63). Settlers believed that wolves were the embodiment of evil - endangering human life and well being, killing livestock, and depleting game animals. The government placed
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Large carcasses provided food for many animals from eagles and bears to beetles and microscopic organisms that break meat down, eventually creating fertilizer for plants.
The absence of wolves has allowed for smaller predators to increase in population and range, such as coyotes and raccoons. These species in turn cause greater exploitation of their specific food sources. Coyotes have now assumed the position of top predator in California, making populations of foxes dwindle as they compete for the similar food sources.
The chain of events is continuous once a high order predator is eliminated. Reintroducing wolves into California may help restore the balance and diversity of plants and animals in our ecosystem. However, the return of wolves would not be without problems. California is very different now from the environment it once was when wolves lived here. They would have to contend with the growing human population, development, and livestock industries. Politics and public opinion might also be against them.
Even though the wolf does not play a big part in California's mainstream society today, it was once an important animal to many Native American groups. The fact that the natives had words for wolf shows how widespread California wolves were historically. Almost all of the 80 different languages spoken in California at the time of European arrival had different words for wolf, coyote, fox, and dog. The Wiyot in Humboldt Bay had
For the first time in 70 years, the howl of the Grey Wolf is being heard throughout Yellowstone Park (Sanders, 2000). In January of 1995, 14 wolves from separate packs in Canada were trapped and transported to Yellowstone. Once in the park the wolves were placed in one acre acclimation pens. In total there were three pens scattered across the northern portion of Yellowstone: one a Crystal Creek, another at Rose Creek, and the last at Soda Butte. During the wolves time spent in these pens they were fed winter kill, or road kill. The packs that were formed in these pens were released in the winters of 1995-1996 and also again in 1996-1997 for a second release period (Sanders, 2000). In 1995 fourteen wolves were released and in 1996 seventeen were released. In 1997 there were 64 pups born and since 1995, 33 wolves have died in the Yellowstone area.
While highly controversial, the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone Park has provided many beneficial ecological changes to the entire parks ecosystem. After a nearly 70 year absence, in January of 1995, 14 wolves from separate packs were captured in the Canadian Rockies and transported to Yellowstone National Park in the states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho (Sanders par. 2).
-yellow stone elk populations started to flourish once wolves disappeared, although grizzlies and cougars still preyed on elk it was not to the extent which wolves
In the Greater Yellowstone area, the target goal was to maintain 15 wolf packs in the state of Wyoming, seven of these packs residing outside the area of national parks. Mission accomplished. As of December 2002, there were 22 documented packs in the state of Wyoming. Eight of the twenty two are living outside the boundaries of national parks, yet the
Also, the government wanted to step in and help the economy, so bounties were set in order to encourage the hunting of the creatures. Communities began to see the "bounty hunters" as heroes, and these men felt as such. The attitude towards wolves spiraled out of control, causing hunts based on vengeance and hatred, and inhumane practices of poisoning, trapping, and torturing began. Even a former governor of Alaska, Jay Hammond, felt that flying in a plane and shooting down hundreds of wolves was necessary to protect the citizens of the state. Wolf furs were coveted, the animals were loathed, and the image of the wolf as a cowardly murderer stuck based on old-fashioned beliefs and legend-based fears. Nothing was done to stop the practices, and the hunts continued to be encouraged, until there were basically no wolves left to hunt (Lopez 139-145). It was nearly too late once the problem was noticed, but the government finally stepped in to address the problem. The wolves were going extinct, and it became clear that the animals were an important part of the ecosystem. The timber (gray) wolf was placed on the endangered species list, and severe consequences were put into action for anyone who hunted the animals illegally. The Wisconsin DNR began a very carefully regulated action plan to reintroduce the wolf to the state, which included radio collars and careful tracking of the animals in order to monitor their progress, as well as make sure they stay in
Although wolves are dangerous they can also be one of your best friends. Wolves have haunted us for years, or that is at least that is what we think. To really understand wolves you have to do some research about them. But, luckily I have already done that for you. Don just kill wolves because you are afraid of them. Wolves serve a great purpose in our ecosystem. It would be a shame to see wolf population decrease as much as it did before in Yellowstone. The reintroduction of wolves has affected the Yellowstone ecosystem in many ways, there will be contributions from wolves that we will not see until a long time.
Though wolves are one of the most researched and studied canines of the animal kingdom, many people are still cautious of the wolf and its behavior and is considered a safety threat to people in many urban and suburban areas. Recorded eradication of wolves can be dated back to the 1700’s hunted purely for their furs, though the complete eradication of wolves begins in late 1800’s after western settlement began to expand to Colorado, threatening valuable livestock. In defense, hunters and trappers supplied themselves
While researching the gray wolf, I found out that it is actually a very touchy subject in Michigan. The hunting of Gray Wolves has been a very controversial topic. Gray wolves are native to Michigan but were nearly wiped out in the 19th and early 20th centuries by hunting and state-sanctioned bounties. In 1973, when Congress created the federal endangered species list, only six wolves were known to still exist in the Michigan wild, and gray wolves were considered an endangered species. By 2007, the wolf population in the Upper Peninsula topped 500 -- far exceeding the recovery benchmark of 100 set by the federal government, making the Great Lakes gray wolf one of the most successful recovery stories in the history of the endangered species list. The gray wolf actually came off the endangered species list in 2012, but as of December 2014, has been relisted.
For a number of years the wolves were not missed by most people, the ranchers and farmers were happy to have the pests gone. Coyotes,
In regards to key developmental aspects of human growth in my life and as I integrate Erickson’s eight stages of development into my 48 years of life, I found that many of my transitional tasks were delayed, or not developed according to Erickson’s time frame. This might be due to the dysfunctional lifestyle, neglected childhood and promiscuous teenage years I had and it has taken me many years to develop my sense of identity, my sense of intimacy, and to change my behavior (Feldman, 2011). In the argument of Piaget he says that children at the age of three to five years think abstractly and this affects their motor
The Mexican gray wolf is a large prey that, in the past, preyed on livestock which contributed to their near extinction by humans. However, the decline in the Mexican wolf lead to an overabundance in plant life which had a direct effect on other wildlife. There are many challenges involved with re-introducing wolves to other stakeholders such as to academics, mangers, ranchers, or landowners. It is not as simple as taking the Mexican wolf from where they are now and placing them in different areas in Arizona, New Mexico, the US, and across the border in Sonora, Mexico. This is a very large area of land that policies would have to cover. The best ways to illustrate that this concept is not as easy as it may seem are best described by nature culture dichotomy, social-ecological systems involving ecosystems with people, and the Anthropocene comprised with the idea of humans as agents of change.
They were named the Magic Pack, and not long after their arrival more wolves came flooding in. In 1995, 31 Canadian wolves were brought to America. Now, thirty years later, there are currently more than four thousand wolves in America, living in thirteen different states. There are more than one hundred wolves in Yellowstone National Park alone.
Throughout the 20th and 21st century race relations have been a substantial issue. Some issues have went through trial, and others have not. Even today in society, race related matters are still continuing. One is being targeted for the color of their skin, the traditional clothes they wear, and the principals they believe in. Many trials have been brought to court but there are an abundance of other situations that have not been brought to the eyes of others.
The wolf was once a much slandered animal. In the western world, people feared and hated wolves, and this legacy is reflected in stories such as Little Red Riding Hood and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. In these popular children's tales the wolf is made out to be a prowler and a killer of livestock and people. There is some basis for The Boy Who Cried Wolf, for wolves have killed cattle and sheep. But what of Little Red Riding Hood? There are no records of wolves killing humans in Canada or the United States. Yet, when wolves were spotted near rural communities, fear used to grip the populace, but over time this has become less prevalent.
It was said to be a natural occurring species of the grey wolf and coyote.