A Wolf in Sheeps Clothing

I know that the title of this entry is another negative stereotype associated with wolves, but I couldn't help but think of it while watching Senator Christensen speak to the media about his bill. The first sentence out of his mouth was a lie, and after that it didn't get much better. Christensen claimed that his bill would be a less harsh bill and that it didn't promote killing of all wolves. If the media had read the bill they may have been able to quote it to him and prove that his bill is a call for the removal of all wolves.

Watch this video with the following quote from Senate Bill 36 in mind.

"Policy.
42 The wolf is a predator and its presence in the state threatens the state's wildlife and
43 ungulate populations, therefore, it is the policy of the state that the wolf shall be destroyed

Destruction or removal of wolves --
Delegation of authority.
48 (1) The division shall capture or kill any wolf it discovers in the state, except for a wolf
49 lawfully held in captivity. (Utah Senate Bill 36)"

If Christensen claims he wasn't lying because they aren't technically allowing the killing of all wolves because they are not going to allow hunters into the Hogle Zoo, then I guess he may have a point.

The Circle of Life

The Circle of Life:

“When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great Circle of Life” (Lion King). You may roll your eyes at this quote, but one study show s just how important this concept really is.

Many people argue for killing wolves because they are what is sometimes considered an “apex predator”. This is a predator that has no natural enemies. They are at the top of the food chain, so to speak. Many people have the idea that their only real effect on the environment is thinning herds of deer, moose, and other ungulate species.

Before Utah should consider spending money to kill these so called useless creatures, it may want to investigate any benefits wolves might provide for the environment. Below is a study that shows how wolves actually help ungulate species more than hunters do. The decomposition of the carcass and the ungulate filled feces of the wolf are important factors in enriching soil and plant life and creating biological hotspots.

Wolves modulate soil nutrient heterogeneity and foliar nitrogen by configuring the distribution of ungulate carcasses

Joseph K. Bump, Rolf O. Peterson, John A. Vucetich

Ecology 2009 90:11, 3159-3167