Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: eyrish69
Wolves kill for sport and DO NOT find balance with the rest of nature around them.

No... Wolves are part of an ecosystem, nothing more, nothing less. They play a role, and a vital one pertaining to their natural prey. For an example of what happens when folks think they can extirpate predators and not suffer the consequences, refer to "Playing God in Yellowstone" by Alston Chase. Further proof can be found in what happened to the deer herds on the Kaibab Plateau in the 1920s. Once the predators were killed by man, the deer herds starved, with losses in the thousands.

16 posted on 02/23/2012 3:33:41 PM PST by Fury
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies ]


To: Fury; SkyDancer

Agreed that nature will find a balance its own way.

However, that way may not be best for humans. Direct impact is the sport and tourism money for elk hunts. And once the weaker elk are gone, or the elk population brought so low, then the wolves will either die, or start eating more sheep (and probably also die from a gun or poison).

I believe that at the Kabob they also did not allow hunting - so the deer without any predators (wolves or human) did suffer a huge loss and environmental devastation. But still - nature found it’s balance - enough deer finally died.

It is just that in nature the balance can swing too far in either direction to be good for what us humans need or want. (Should we not interfere with a natural wildfire in a residential area?).

What I am amazed at is the rapid population increase in the wolves. I was in central Idaho for awhile in 1994 and they had just introduced 2 pairs of wolves to the area (and I thought it was for the entire state?) Although I imagine they brought in many wolves over the years.


22 posted on 02/23/2012 4:00:55 PM PST by 21twelve
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson