The Battle of the Wolves

Post by Crystina Bakus

First off, this topic really excites me. Since I am studying in the environmental field, this is a huge environmental topic that is most often brought up in any ENR class. I have always had an interest and desire to understand the misconception of wolves, and why we hate them so much. So in my spare time, I read articles, books, and watch documentaries on wolves, not just in Yellowstone, but all around the world. The reintroduction of wolves into national parks isn’t that much of an issue. After all, we have already reintroduced them.

Wolves are known for being a keystone specie, meaning without them, ecological downfall could occur in the food web. But now as I follow the events leading up after their reintroduction years ago, I see that the problem isn’t whether the environment can handle the wolves, but the humans. The ranchers have their own responsibility to keep their cattle fat and happy, in order to make big bucks to keep the business going, and their families fed. However, that’s exactly what the wolves are trying to do for their own family! They are doing the same as the ranchers; just trying to feed mouths and not just survive but thrive! Even though we live different lifestyles, I believe that wolves and humans have more similarities than we think.

For instance, I have just recently finished a book called The Custer Wolf by Roger A. Caras. In this book gives insight to the American Renegade: a wolf that tried to live by humans. The book is focused more on the wolf, how they learn, grow, their values, morals, and thoughts on the humans. It also accounts for the unusual slaughters that wolves seem to be doing. In one night the Custer Wolf killed almost 40 sheep in one night. None of them were eaten; they were just purely slaughtered for no apparent reason. However, I think that the wolf did have a purpose; it is a battle for territory. Wolves mark their areas by urine markers, tree markings, and howling. To the wolf, this is more than enough to keep the man out from his rangeland. However, men don’t care because legally they have to ownership to that property and thus go in and out of it as they please. Plus, we humans don't use urine and vocals to communicate our language; we prefer guns and bait. To the wolf this is a sign of disrespect and a challenge when men enter their clearly marked spot. Therefore I think that all these countless murders on rancher’s livestock have more to do than there is not enough food to go around. These attacks still happen today, not for the meat, but for the kill. I think that there is a giant missing link between wolves and humans. If we were to study, educate ranchers and everyone that the wolves cannot simply speak English, or take their case to court; we could learn to live together, instead of at each other’s throats. If we could put more energy towards attempting to understand the highly developed mind of the wolf then we could find a way to safely, and beneficially communicate what we want and what they want.  I think it is our responsibility as the more evolved species to try and communicate, coexist, and even learn from another worthy animal.

This book also mentions how incredibly intelligent the wolf is. For years, hundreds of men, professional trackers, and hunters came to kill the Custer Wolf and claim his pelt as well as his high bounty. However, for years, he learned, watched, and evaded the human race, while still living under his nose and taking what he wanted from him. The book mentions how a man once saw the Custer Wolf playing with a glass bottle for a long period of time, trying to figure out how the bottle stood up. For hours this wolf batted and moved the bottle in his mouth and paws until he finally managed to make the bottle stand up correctly. I think this is incredible. The fact that an animal can identify a foreign object, and not just pass by it, but figure out how it works is amazing. A bottle seems like nothing, but to a completely wild animal, this is a significant story that shows the wolf is capable of much more intelligence than previously thought. What right do we as fellow specie, have to keep the wolves out of their own habitat? Is it our ecological responsibility to judge whether an animal is good or bad for an environment? Especially an animal that is so highly intelligent? One who has the ability to feel love, pain, regret, and loss? Just like us? Wolves have families, mates for life, a great memory; they value things just like we do. I do not think that just because we have the ability to shoot them, means that we have too. I think it is time that we humans learn to coexist with nature, instead of always trying to fix it.