Is Humanity Suicidal Essay, Research Paper

Debbie Smigiel Smigiel 2

Essay 2

English 102-81

February 17, 1999

The Reintroduction of Wolves

In my opinion, wolves should be able to live and survive in the wild. Ranchers do need to consider that wolves have a major influence in our eco system. Grizzly bears fed on elk carcass only in the spring. Now there is more carcasses available year round. A lot of animals have died due to lack of food. Recently the Mexican Gray wolf was brought into New Mexico from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Hopefully, they will survive and adapt. Since wolves have a strong natural instinct to return home, they should in time successfully establish new territories here. Wolves are very family orientated and feel safe living near their family.

Man continues to be the wolves worst enemy. This is sad and unfortunate because wolves are already on the Endangered Species List. At one time gray wolves lived in forty-eight states and Mexico. Today gray wolves are mostly in Minnesota. The attempts at reestablishing wolves in Yellowstone is still undetermined. Many ranchers objected.

Activities such as hunting, farming and logging have contributed to the wolves extinction. As Lorenz states in The Dove and The Wolf, “we did not receive our weapons from nature. We made them ourselves, of our own free will.” (526)

The list of endangered species is growing rapidly in much of the world and rates of extinction are likely to rise as human population rises. The fate of the wolf is up to us and our willingness to share the earth with wild animals.

We can encourage young people to discover nature and explore and examine wild life. Such understanding will never replace what is lost but will insure what remains. The spirit and mystery seen in the eyes of a wolf should be all the incentive we need.