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The folks in Yellowstone might beg to differ with you, actually. Without the wolves, the Yellowstone elk have been overpopulating the place. Ecosystems work best with all the natural players.

We can easily step in and allow elk hunting to take up the slack. It's disingenuous that environmentalists call for the introduction of dangerous predators while simultaneously attempting to restrict predation by man.

And it's funny when you look at the statistics kept by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Do you know what the number one predator of livestock is? The answer, in fact is the coyote. And the #2 predator? I don't think you know the answer to this one because it's actually our beloved domestic doggy. Dogs, in fact, killed more livestock in 2005 than all other predators — cougars, wolves, bobcats and bears — combined.

So..........before you continue to pick on the big, bad wolf, your Fido should be eradicated first by your own logic.

You've totally misunderstood my logic. Throughout the history of our species, dogs have been of great service to mankind. They are a species worthy of our protection and respect. So if they are responsible for predation - too bad. Wolves have been enemies to us and the creatures who are our allies. I hope you see now - the intent is to move from a view of ecology that is centered around random evolution to one that serves the needs of mankind best.

Finally, regarding predation: we are the most efficient predators on the planet, as illustrated by our ability to hunt creatures into extinction. There is no level of population control that can be exerted over herd-type animals by natural predation that could not be more efficiently and quickly achieved by lifting restrictions on human hunting.

Plus, it makes for safer jogging in California.