WOLVES ARE MORE VALUABLE ALIVE

WOLVES ARE MORE VALUABLE ALIVE

We should be making every effort to stop wolf trapping and hunting in Minnesota because wolves are worth much more to all of us alive. The Minnesota DNR states in their own Wolf Management Plan that “Wolves in Minnesota are a keystone ecotourism species, drawing tourists from around the world to come to view wolf tracks, scats, and kill sites, and to hear wild wolves howl.” According to the Minnesota DNR website, wildlife viewing is a 400 million dollar per year industry in Minnesota and wildlife enthusiasts outnumber hunters 4:1.

A healthy wolf population is essential to maintaining habitat for all wildlife in the forest ecosystem, and keeping important vegetation along rivers and streams healthy by controlling the movement of animals like deer and elk. Along rivers and streams, ungulates such as deer and elk do not graze as long due to the presence of wolves. This "ecology of fear" improves the health of the water systems in the forests and meadows. A healthy wolf population also supports a healthy deer population as wolves help limit the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease and new evidence shows they help control Lyme Disease. Wolves are like us in many ways that we should be able to appreciate. Like us, wolves are social creatures that form tight family units and display great affection for their family members.

Wolves are the closest genetic link to modern dogs, without which our society would be vastly different and deficient in many ways. Dogs perform many service roles in our society from guide dogs to therapy dogs to law enforcement to personal protection. Though many breeds have been substantially altered cosmetically, the dog is still just the wolf in the living room. Thankfully, society would not tolerate the hunting and trapping of dogs for sport, but wolves need strong advocates to preserve their existence.