Wolf Recovery

Exploration #1 by Jarrette Hall

Environmental Science

The article I am writing about is talking about the introduction of wolfs to Yellowstone National Park. The writer starts of by giving some background on the subject. The first thing he addresses is that National Parks were established to save the wilderness, fish, and game. The park was meant to protect the wilderness and provide a place for the public to enjoy nature in its virgin form. Due to the prevailing attitudes in 1916, the United States Congress created the National Parks Service, and this act gave the Secretary of Interior the authority to order the destruction of such animals as may be detrimental to the use of the parks. The first animal to go on the chopping blocks was the wolf due to pressure from the farmers.

The writer's opinion was that the killing of wolfs was wrong. He feels the wolfs serve a major purpose in the ecosystem. For example, he states that since the removal of the wolf’s enabled the elk population grow out of control, their overgrazing will damage the ecosystem, killing all the grass in the National Park.

The writer feels that the wolfs should be reintroduced to the National Parks. However that couldn’t be done until January 25, 1995. There was a 70 years' absence of the Grey wolf in the Yellowstone National Park.

In my opinion this is just another example of society messing up the natural balance and order of our environment.

Reference:

Maughan, R., (2000). History and current status of the Yellowstone wolf restoration. [On-line]. Available: http://www.forwolves.org

Back | ENV 1100 home