the role of the gray wolf in the environment

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SARAH LANDEN The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

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The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment. Sarah Landen. Endangered Species . The gray wolf once roamed much of the world (Matthews). By 1926, the wolf had completely disappeared from North America (Patent) - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

SARAH LANDEN

The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Page 2: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Endangered Species

The gray wolf once roamed much of the world (Matthews).

By 1926, the wolf had completely disappeared from North America (Patent)

Efforts to reintroduce the wolf back into North America began in the late 1980s (Patent)

Before

After

Page 3: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Extermination Order

In August 2012, the gray wolf was taken off of the endangered species list.

It is now permissible to shoot and kill wolves, as long as there is a minimum of 10 packs and 100 individuals outside of Yellowstone (Barrasso).

According to the statement, scientists have confirmed that the wolf population has far exceeded expectations (Barrasso).

Page 4: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Facts

The wolf population does not grow fast. Packs reach up to 10 individuals, but only the alpha pair mate (Fritts)

Wolves “do not kill indiscriminately” (Matthews). They usually stay away from stronger game and prey on the weak.

Page 5: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Yellowstone Pre-reintroduced Wolf

After the disappearance of wolves in 1926, Yellowstone began to have major environmental problems (Patent).

Page 6: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Elk populations began to swell. Rangers had to either kill them in mass numbers or move them to different parks (Patent).

Coyotes increased in number. They became experts in killing newborn Pronghorn fawns, almost wiping the Yellowstone population out (Patent).

Page 7: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Flora life was effected as well.Due to increased numbers, elk ate more of

the new aspen and cottonwood trees as well as new essential plant life (Patent).

Eventually more plants died than grew back. Animals that thrived from these plants began to disapear (Patent).

Page 8: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Yellowstone Post-Reintroduction

Wolves control the elk population (Patent).

They are one of the top predators in Yellowstone, putting the coyote in it’s natural place as primarily a scavenger (Patent).

The Pronghorn population tends to thrive in areas highly populated by wolves (Patent).

Natural plant life has begun to return to Yellowstone (Patent).

Page 9: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Disputing False Accusations

Claim; “big game hunters have had to sacrifice for many years” (Barresso).

Wolves rarely attack animals that are considered to be “big game” (USFWS).

When they do attack “big game animals” they generally focus on females (USFWS).

Due to large population numbers, the actual number of these “big game animals” killed are a small percentage (USFWS).

Page 10: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Disputing Claims

Claim; “ranchers and hunters have watched helplessly as the growing wolf population has taken down livestock” (Barresso).

States actually have plans to reimburse farmers who lost livestock to wolves (Matthews).

“Where the wolf is federally listed as a Threatened species, federal agents each year have killed a few dozen wolves that have preyed on livestock” (Matthews).

Due to a large population of the wolf’s food source, “wolves that live near livestock rarely, if ever, kill them” (Fritts).

Page 11: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Disputing Claims

Claim; The wolf has long since recovered, and this is backed up by scientific data.

Scientists actually claim that the original repopulation goal (10 packs, 100 wolves; sound familiar?) was based on the opinion of politicians (Bergstorm).

In 2008 the USFWS claimed that the wolf was recovering at a far exceeded rate based on the numbers at the beginning of the project (Bergstorm).

The conclusion in 2008 made by the USFWS was therefore lacking “rigorous scientific analysis” (Bergstorm).

Page 12: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

So What?

It is estimated that in Idaho alone 40% of the repopulated wolf population will be gone within the first year of being off the endangered species list (Bergstorm).

Wolves do not populate as quickly as other species (Matthews).

It is very likely that they will again be endangered within the next few years (Bergstorm).

Page 13: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Conclusion

The wolf is not yet recovered. It is beneficial to the ecosystem; without it, the

ecosystem is thrown out of balance. We should leave the controlling of the wolf

population in the capable hands of scientists and biologists to determine when a population is endangered and when it no longer is.

As caretakers of the Earth, we must ensure that our wildlife is protected, both big and small, in order to keep the ecosystem balanced.

Page 14: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Disclaimer Although there are many

interesting and positive things about wolves, wolves are still predators. It is the ancestor of our domestic dog, but because of the wolf’s competitive nature, it “treats humans as packmates and will fight them for social rank and dominance. It is suspected that this is the reason wolves raised by humans will sometimes attack their owners unprovoked” (Matthews). Although the wolf is not a creature you’ll typically see on an ordinary stroll through the park, should you see one, please be responsible and do not try to pet it or provoke it.

Page 15: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Works Cited

Bangs, Ed. “The Reintroduction of Gray Wolves to Yellowstone National Park and Central Idaho; Final Environmental Impact Statement.” Helena, Mont. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1994.

Barrasso, John. “Gray Wolf Population removed from endangered Species list.” Federal Information & News Dispatch, Inc. 2012. Online. <http://barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressOffice.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=7E1BB7BF-9B64-EAF3-4CA3-293345BDDEA5>

Bergstorm, Bradely, et al. “The Northern Rocky Mountain Gray Wolf is Not Yet Recovered.” Bioscience. Bioscience, 59. 11. 2009. Online. <http://media.web.britannica.com/ebsco/pdf/264/46987264.pdf>

Fritts, Stephen H. “Wolf.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2012. Online. <http://www.britannica.com.byui.idm.oclc.org/EBchecked/topic/646475/wolf>

Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw. “When the Wolves Returned; Restoring Nature’s Balance in Yellowstone.” Walker & Comnpany, New York. 2008. Print.

Matthews, John R. and Train, Russell E. “Gray Wolf.” pp. 444-447. The Official World Wildlife Fund Guide to Endangered Species of North America. Walton Beacham. 1990. Print.

Page 16: The Role of the Gray Wolf in the Environment

Pictures Cited

Slide 1; Sartore, Joel. “Wolf.” National Geographic. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/wolf/

Slide 2; USFWS. “Historic Gray Wolf Range.” PBS.org. http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/233/gray-wolf-facts.html

Slide 2; “Time to Celebrate….Wolf Awareness Week!” Defenders of Wildlife. http://www.defendersblog.org/2010/10/time-to-celebrate-wolf-awareness-week/

Slide 3; http://media.photobucket.com/image/dead%20wolves/Nimrod399/DeadWolves.jpg Slide 4; http://www.communicatefhs.com/lhealy/project1/layout3.html Slide 4; http://stuffpoint.com/wolves3/image/97258/wolves-hunting-picture/ Slide 5; “Yellowstone National Park.” Park Vision. http://

www.shannontech.com/ParkVision/Yellowstone/Yellowstone.html Slide 6; http://

www.fotopedia.com/albums/427f1a59-4b9b-4dcb-a92a-7d5296fe9f79/entries/ScLuGmlIpP8 Slide 8; “Faceoff.” http://www.maxwaugh.com/yellowstone09may/wolf4.php Slide 12; http://www.heartofthewolf.org/TheOppressed.htm Slide 12; http

://howlingforjustice.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/145-wolves-wiped-out-in-idaho-montana-wyoming-wisconsin-wolf-hunts/

Slide 12; http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/california-lawmakers-to-make-it-illegal-for-palin-to

Slide 14; <http://www.onearth.org/files/onearth/graywolf_feature.jpg>