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.
Joseph K. Bump, Rolf O. Peterson, John A. Vucetich
Ecology 2009 90:11, 3159-3167
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