BauerJackson1

DazhanaBauerJackson
Dr.Haas
APDraft2
August12th2016

HowWeCanSaveTheWolves
InApril2011,theUSCongressintervenedingraywolf(Canislupus)policyby
insertingabudgetbillriderthatremovedfederalEndangeredSpeciesAct(ESA)protectionsfor
wolfpopulations(i.e.,delistedthem)inthestatesofMontanaandIdahoandpartsof
Washington,Oregon,andUtah(USFWS2009).Overtimeithasbeenaconstantbattlefor
wolvestostayasanonendangeredspecies,butthusfartheycontinuetolosethebattle.Thetrue
topicofdiscussionis:whatmakesitsodifficultforwolvestostayofftheendangeredspecies
list?Humanswhoareuneducatedaboutwolvesarethereasonwolvesarealwaysindangerof
extinction.Wolvesarecompletelymisunderstoodwhilealothumansviewthemasaggressive
anddangeroustotheirwellbeing,wolvesdonoteventakeasecondlookathumansbecausethey
donotviewhumansasprey.Wolveshavemadeacomebackfrombeingnearextinctbutthe
momentthatEndangeredSpeciesAct(ESA)wasimplementedin2011theywereautomatically
endangeredinmostoftheUnitedStates.

LiteratureReview
Animalsoverallareverysimilartohumanswhenitcomestoparenting,growingand
learning.Manyhumanshavefeltsuperiortowolvesandthusfarhavealmostcausedamass
extinctionwhenrealisticallytheyarenotmuchdifferentthanhumansandtheirdogs.Theyhave

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amanwhotakescareofeverythingandafamilyjustliketheaveragehumanfamily.Overtime
therewererumorsthatcertainwolvesevolvedtobedogsbecausetheyweretakenoutofthewild
whiletheywereyoungandwereraisedjustasachildwouldbebyhumansbutthatisnotthe
casebecausemanystudieshavebeendonewheretwodifferentanimalsareraisedinidentical
environmentsandturnoutcompletelydifferent.TheFamilyDogProjectofthedepartmentof
EthologyledbyAdamMikloskistudied12wolvesand11dogswhowereraisedindividually
whilelivinginafamilyenvironment.Miklosistudiedtheircommunication,interactions,and
relationshipwithhumans,theanimalswentthroughveryintensivesocialisationinanurban
environment,livedinfamilyhomes,accompaniedtheirraiserstotheuniversity,travelledon
publictransportation,andthusmetunfamiliarpeopleanddogsonadailybasis.(OntheWayto
aBetterUnderstandingofaDogPg36)Atacertainagethewolvesweresentbackintothewild
duetosafetyissuesandtheresearcherslearnedthateveniftheywereraisedthesame,wolves
anddogsdonothavethesameexperiencesorgothroughthesamelearningprocessbecausetheir
preferencesareinstalledatbirth.Wolvessimplyholdacertaindominancetosurvive,and
generallyitisthealphamalewhodoesso,butotherthanthatwolvesarenomoreagressivethan
adogistohumansspecifically.Thisexamplegoestoshowthattheevolutiondidnothappen
becauseawolfwastakenoutofhabitatatbirthbecausenomatterwhattheanimalsstillturned
outthesame.Wolvesdobecomedominantwithagewhiledogswillcontinuetobesubmissiveto
theirownerandforthisreasonsiswhyhumansbelieveitisokaytohuntthewolvesbecausethey
arevicious,butinrealityhavejustcoevolved.

Ashumanswenaturallyshowempathybyunderstandingsituationsandengaginginthem
byshowingfeelingandemotion,justaswellasourdogsreacttotheirhumansfeelingsandare

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empatheticwithjustabouteverymovetheirhumanmakes.Itisrarebuthasbeenstudiedthat
throughyawningwolvescanfeelempathytowardthoseintheirpack.TeresaRomeroaProfessor
atUniversityofTokyo,JapanandaffiliateofCognitiveandbehavioralsciencesandherteam
observedifwolvesweresimplymimickingorfeelingempathetic.Beforegettingintothisstudy
let'sthinkaboutthisfromahumanstandpoint.Ifthereisaroomfullofhumansandoneperson
yawns,itwillgenerallystartachainreactionwhichisveryrelevanttothestudythatisgoingto
beexplained.AzooinJapanrecorded12wolvesfortheirresearchwhiletakingintoaccount
time,identityofinitialyawnandpositionofnearbyanimals.Thefirstyawnerwouldmakedead
eyecontactwiththeotherwhomwouldusuallybeaclosesocialpartnerandtheresearchers
foundthatthefrequencyandsocialbondplayedahugepartinweatheritwasempathyor
mimicking.Findingsrevealedthatthestrengthofthepackmember'ssocialbondwithyawning
wolvesinfluencedhowoftentheyactuallyyawned.Thestudyalsoshowedthatfemalewolves
werequickerthanmalecounterpartstoyawnwhileobservingotherswithsimilarbehavior.(
RomeroAug272014).Wolvesoverallarealotsmarter,andfeelalotmorethantheaverage
humanbeingmaythinkg
Throughoutthisliteratureitdiscusseshowwolveshavejustasmuchfeelingandarejust
asharmlessasabutterflyintheirownenvironment.Manypeopleviewwolvesasdangerousand
killhappywheninrealitytheydonotcaretokillhumansbutsimplypreytosurvive.Theissueis
thatpeoplearemurderingtheseanimalsassoonastheyarereleasedfromtheEndangered
SpeciesActfortheirownreasonsthatwillbediscussedlaterinthepaperandeventually
debunkedthroughout.

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Sincethe1970swolveshavebeenonandofftheendangeredspeciesactbecauseofthe
factthatthemomenttheyareremovespeoplegoandhuntthemagainandsendthemrightback
onthelist.Backin2011whenthewolfwastakenofftheESA550ofthemwerekilledalmost
instantlybyhunters.Therearemanywhobelievetheyshouldbekilledforthefactthatthey
endangerthecattlethathumansuseforthemselveswhilewolvesdooccasionallypreyoncattle
only74outof2,500,000werekilledintheyearof2011whenhuntersweregiventhegreenlight
tohuntthemagain.Puttingthisintoperspective,thisisnoteven0.5%ofthecattle.Realistically
thisisnotanexcusetohuntwolvesbecausethecattlethattheydohuntareeitheroldorsick.
Inthe1990sandearly2,000swhentheU.SFishandWildlifeServicereintroduced
wolvestoYellowstoneNationalParkfromCanada,stateslikeWyomingwerefightingfor
unlimitedwolfkillingandeventuallyweregrantedit.ThisiswhytheywereontheESAupuntil
2011foralloftheUnitedstatesandremainontheESAinWyoming,Michigan,Wisconsin,and
Minnesota.Untilthosewhoadvocateforwolfkillingstopkillingwolveseverytimetheyare
removedfromtheESAAboutevery20yearstheywillcontinuetogothroughthecycleof
havingtorebuildthemselvesasaspecies.Overall,thegreatestthreattowolvesisprejudice,
fearandmisunderstandingaboutthespecies.(WolfDefenders2016)
Overtimetherehavebeenmanystudiesdoneonhowwolvesreactinasituationof
dominance.CandaceBaanandherteamofresearchersfromTheUniversityof
Neuchatel,Switzerlandconductedanexperimentwheretheyobservedthewolvesintheirnatural
habitat,livinginYellowstoneNationalPark.Overthecourseoftheirresearchtheyfoundthat
thewolvesspecificallythealphawolvesonlybecamedominantwhenapproached.Our
resultsshowthatpostconflictfriendlybehavioursweremainlyinitiatedbyvictims

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(subordinates)andpreferentiallydirectedtowardstheformeraggressors(dominants).(Baan
331)Evenafteraconfrontation,thedominantswillbecivilwiththeaggressorbecausethey
understandthattheyneedoneanothertosurviveindividuallyandasaspecies.Evenwhen
anotheranimalisconfrontationaltothedominantwolftheyarestillnonaggressiveafterthefact.
Hence,eventhoughparticularvaluablerelationships(whichwecouldnotinvestigateinthis
study)mayalsobeimportanttoexplainreconciliationinwolves,ourresultssuggestthatconflict
resolutioninthisspeciescanbeexplainedbyinterdependenceamongpackmembersasaresult
ofthebenefitstheyderivefromcooperativehunting,cooperativebreedingandcooperationin
defenceoftheterritory.(Baan332)youhavetoweavethequoteinwithyourownwriting,not
justdropitin<<Wolveswillonlybecomedominantwhenitisnecessaryandthatistoprotector
providefortheirpack.
AdrianTrevesaprofessorofenvironmentalstudiesattheUniversityof
WisconsinMadisonandJeremyT.BruskotterofNaturalResourcesatOhioState
UniversityColumbusconductedresearchontheturningpointofgraywolves.Ourresearch
indicatesthatmanyresidentsinwolfrangesdonotfavortheextirpationbutdosupporthunting
orotherlethalcontrolwhentheseactionsareaimedatimprovingcoexistenceandreducing
conflictbetweenpeopleandwolves(Bruskotteretal.2007,Trevesetal.2009,Trevesand
Martin2011).ItistheU.SsupremeCourt'sjobtorecognizewhatexactlyisbestforthese
wildlifeanimals.Whatisreallyhappeningisthegovernmentissponsoringthekillingofthe
innocentanimalstothepointofextinction.Widespreadkillingofmanywolveswillbedifficult
tojustifyunlessprivatepropertyorhumansafetyisseriouslythreatened.(Bruskotteretal.2007,
Trevesetal.2009,TrevesandMartin2011)Thegovernmentcannotjustifykillingoffthese

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speciesbecauseantiwolfgroupsdislikethemandtheirecologicaleffects(earlierprovenarenot
realistic).ThisissueisbecomingwidespreadinplaceslikeWisconsinwearantiwolfgroupsare
beginningtocampaignaswellasmakeTshirtsandnotenforcethelawsofthewolfbeing
endangered.Inthisstatewolveshavethefederalstatusofthreatenedwhichgivesabittoo
muchflexibilitybecauseitstillallowspublichuntingofthewolf.Minnesotawolveshavethat
statusnow,butitisprobablynotpoliticallyacceptablefortheNorthernRockyMountainwolves,
whichhaveanevenmoreflexibleexperimental,nonessentialstatus.(Bruskotteretal.2007,
Trevesetal.2009,TrevesandMartin2011)
RickMcIntyreisabiologicalTechfortheYellowstoneWolfProjectandhasntmisseda
dayofobservationfor8years.Hegetstotheparkbythetimethesunrisesbecausehedoes
notwanttomissanyinteractionsofthewolves.Generally,Yellowstonewolvespreyon
animalsthatareweak,old,orsick,sincetheyknowthatthestronghealthyonescaneitheroutrun
them,inthecaseofelk,orstanduptothem,whichisoftenthecasewithbison.(Rick
McIntyre)Whenthewolfpreysonsomethingtheydonotwantittobeconfrontationalbyany
means,theysimplywanttofeedthemselvesandtheirfamilywithouttoomuchtrouble.When
peoplegotoviewthewolvesatYellowstoneNationalPark,theyareoftentakenbysurprisethat
thewolvesaren'tfightingorbeingaggressivetooneanother,especiallyafterakill.Thereason
forthismisinterpretationistheyhaveseendocumentaries,filmedoutsideofYellowstone,of
wolvesbeingaggressiveandfightingwiththeirpackmatesinacompetitionforfood.Butmany
ofthesedocumentarieswerefilmed,unbeknownsttotheviewer,withcaptivewolves.Inthese
situations,thereismoreperceivedcompetitionforresourcesandviolencemayeruptmoreeasily.
Generally,weobservewolvespeacefullysharingthebounty.Insomecasesthealphamaleand

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femalewillwalkawayfromacarcassrightafterakillandletthemembersoftheirpackeat
first.(RickMcIntyre)Thewolvesthatactupinthesescenariosactupduetomistreatmentin
whichnobodycanbasetheirresearchoffofbecauseanyspecies,includinghumansactoutwhen
theyaremistreated.ThealphawolvesareevenCivilenoughtolettheirpackeatbeforethem,
provingthereisnowaythatthesewolveswouldbeaggressivetohumansbecausetheyarenot
evenaggressivetotheirprey.Thewolvessimplyaresurvivingwhentheyarekilling,nothing
more.
Wolvesareanimalsthathavebeenmisunderstoodfromthebeginningoftimeand
absolutelynothingischangingthat,becausepeoplesimplyrefusetoeducatethemselvesonthe
truefactsoftheseinnocentanimals.GaryYourofskyisandananimalrightsactivistwhowas
originallysponsoredbyPeoplefortheEthicalTreatmentofAnimals(PETA)Heisextremely
passionateabouthisworktotheextentthathehasbeenarrested13timesandspent77daysina
maximumsecurityprisonforraidingafarminCanadaoffur.Asmostpeopleinthisdayandage
agreewithYourofskybelievesthatIfyoureBlack,White,Hispanic,Asian,Christian,Muslim,
Jewish,Hindu,male,female,androgynous,transgender,gay,straight,lesbian,bisexual,young,
old,rich,poor,furred,feathered,scaled,hooved,clawed,finned,whatever,youfeel,youhurt,
youdesire,youlove.Andyoudeservelife.Whydoesourattitudeabouttherighttolife
changewhenitcomestothelivesofinnocentanimals?Speciesismisthediscriminationagainst
othersbasedontheirspecies,butforthemostpartreferstothewayhumanstreatanimals,as
wellastheimaginaryscale<<whatdoyoumeanbyimaginaryscale?Maybeneedsabitmore
explaining<<weputanimalson.Forexample,thefactthatdogsareamansbestfriend,yetitis
okaytomurderawolfinwhichadogevolvedfrom.Wolvesaremurderedbyhumanswhohave

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notonelegitimatereasontokilltheseinnocentanimalsisexactlylikekillingsomeonebecause
theyareblack.Humansillogicallythinkthatitisokaytodohorriblethingstoanimalswithout
correlatingthefactthat,theseweretheexactthingsdonetopeopleofdifferentreligions,sexual
orientation,andrace.KillingwolvesisahugeissuethroughouttheUnitedStatesofAmericato
thepointwheretheseanimalsarebecomingextinctandpeoplestillwanttocontinuetokillthem.
Thereisnothingthatthisanimaldoesthatitdeservestobemurderedbythe100s.
Overallwolveshavebeenendangeredsincethebeginningoftimeandhaveyetto
successfullyprovetheirinnocence.Therearemanyadvocatingwolvespetitionsandgroupsbut
theycanonlydosomuchwhenitcomestogettingpeopletoactuallylistentotheissueand
understandthatwolvesmeanabsolutelynoharm.AccordingtoJimRobertsonananimalwildlife
advocate,Therearecurrentlyfewerthan600wolvesinthatstate(huntersandtrapperskilled
nearly200lastseason).YetMontanawildlifeofficialssaytheyarehopingtoreducethewolf
populationtoaround450.Ofcourse,thatnumberdoesnotevencomeclosetorepresentinga
recoveredstatewolfpopulationbyanyhistoricalstandardswhenyouconsiderthat10,261
wolvesweredestroyedbetween1884and1886inMontanaaloneafterabountywasfirst
initiatedthereorthat380,000wolvesonceroamedthelower48.EverytimetheESAislifted
wolvesarekilledbythehundredandthereisnoreasonforitbecauseaccordingtoMontanaFish,
WildlifeandParksDepartmentthereare141,078elkinthestatewhichis55%overtheir
managementobjectiveif90,910.Theissueisantiwolfextremistswhohaveoneoftwo
argumentswhicharethatwolvesaredominantanddangeroustohumans,ortheyarekillingthe
livestockthathumanssurviveoffof,whicharebothincorrectandshouldhavebeendisabled
throughoutthispaper.

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InNorthAmerica,peoplehavekilledwolvesforfur,fortheprotectionoflivestockand
wildungulates,fordiseasecontrol,andoutoffear(CluffandMurray1995,Oriansetal.1997).
Peoplearekillingwolvesduetotheirownneeds,fears,andexpectations.Reasonablythereare
manywhodoenjoythefurfromwolvesanddonotkillwolvesforanyotherreasonthatthey
enjoytheirfur.Thisisveryfewandfarinbetweenthatpeoplegoaboutwolvesinthismatter.
Themainconcernaboutwolvesisthattheyarekillinglivestockforexamplereddeer,wildboar,
moose,andbisonandtheyfeelthebestwaytocontrolthisistokillthewolves.TheUnited
Statesgovernmenthasevenallowedmanytokillbasedoffthisinfo.Counteringthesestatements
wolvesabsolutelydonothuntthelivestockthathumanseat.Analysisofa100yearseriesof
surveydatashowedthatthenumbersofreddeerandofwolvescorrelatednegatively,which
resultedfromincreasesinthereddeerpopulationduringperiodsoflowwolfdensity.
(Jedrzejewskiandcolleagues(2000))Jedzejewskidebunkstheseclaimsandprovesthatitwas
legitimatelyjustacoincidenceswhenthesenumbersweretakenandwolvesareinnoway
harmingthedeer.Wolvessimplyhuntpreythatwillbeeasytocatchbecausetheywouldrather
notloseabattle,sotheygenerallywillgoforoldorsickprey.

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Figure1:Aphysicalrepresentationofthefoodthatwolveshunt.Itshowsthatthe
livestockthathumanseatandwolvesareinnowaycomparingandthepercentageisalsovery
lowforhowpeoplesaytheyjustkilltonsofourlivestock.
Thebestsolutionforwolvestostaynonendangeredisforwolvestopermanentlystayon
theEndangeredSpeciesActorforittobealawforthemtobemurderedperiod.Oneofthemain
groupsthatsupportsthisispredatordefenderswhoareandadvocationgroupforwolvesthat
protests,petitionsandbelievesintheESA.Theonlywayhuntersdon'thuntthemisiftheyare
simplypunishedfortheiractions.Nohunterwillstophuntingwolvesbecausetheyare
endangered,theygetathrilloutofdoingwhattheydobecausetothemitisapassionthat
maybenobodyelsewillunderstand.Toputanendtothisistomakeaverystrictlawthatwill

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forcepeopletoabidebyitortheywillbepunishedandevensentencedtoprison.Itneedstogo
undertheactofanimalcrueltybecausethatisexactlywhatthisisTherateoflivingwolvesgoes
updramaticallywhentheyareontheEndangeredSpecieslistduetothefactthattheycan'tbe
killedsotheverybestwaytokeepitthiswayistoeitherkeepthemonthelistorsimplymakeit
illegalthesearetheonlytwothingsthatwillhelpbecausebesidesthisthereisnootherway.

Figure2:Thisisarepresentationofhowmuchbetterwolvessurvivewhentheyareon
theEndangeredSpeciesAct.Evidentinthegraph,thelifespanofawolfandtheirfamily
significantincreasesundertheEndangeredSpeciesAct.Thelifeandappreciationofthewolfs
lifegoesupasubstantialamountmorewhentheyareonthelistbecausetheEndangeredSpecies
Listgivesthewolvesacertainamountrights,thosetheyareentitledto,andallowsthemtolive
theirliveswithouttheworryofprotectingthemselvesandtheirlovedonesfromhumansthat
wanttoharmthem.Thefactthatawolfcansimplyenjoylifemoreandaren'tbeingmurderedor

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havingfamilymembersmurderedeverydaycanhelptheentirewolfracelivepeacefullyintheir
ownhabitats.
Overallmorepeopleneedtobecomeeducatedontheadvocacyofwolves.Realisticallyif
wolveswereasdangerousasmostpeoplethinkchancesaretherewouldnotbesomany
advocatingforthem.WolvesarecontinuouslygoingtoremainontheESAaslongastheyare
notextinctbecauseoftheignorancethatpeoplebelieveaboutthembeingdangerousorkilling
livestock.Huntersandantiwolfextremistswillprobablyneverchangetheirviewonwolves
becauseitiswhattheyadvocateforbutoverallthekillingofwolvesbecauseofthespeciesthey
are,isspeciesismandisnodifferentthanhuntingablackorhomsexualforbeingthemsleves.

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Treves,Adrian,andJeremyT.Bruskotter."GrayWolfConservationataCrossroads."
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