The Impact Of The ESA On The Gray Wolf Population

14 Pages 3593 Words

Introduction


Gray wolves once roamed across the United States in great numbers, but by the middle of the nineteenth century they had all but disappeared from the Eastern United States. By the middle of the twentieth century the lonely wolf howl could no longer be heard across the upper Midwest (namely Minnesota and Wisconsin,) the Southwest or the western plains.
Colonists, followed by farmers, ranchers and hunters had succeeded in nearly eradicating one of the large carnivorous predators that had helped to keep the fragile eco-system in balance.
In 1967 the gray wolf had been put on the Federal Endangered Species List, a list that recognized the near-extinct status of the species, but offered no protection of or conservation plans for the future. It was not until the passage in 1973 of the Endangered Species Act did the gray wolf receive full federal protection from hunting, maiming and further destruction of its habitat.
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) set up rules and regulations governing the conservation of the species as well as habitat, and in recent years has allowed for the reintroduction of gray wolves into some of the National Forests and Parks such as Yellowstone.
This research paper aims to explore whether or not the Endangered Species Act has had the impact on the gray wolf population that it aimed to, and specifically what kind of growth has been found in the gray wolf population in the United States since 1973 when the Endangered Species Act was passed.

Historical Background

The gray wolf (or timber wolf) is a carnivore which was once prevalent across the Eastern United States and the Western Plains. It is an often misunderstood animal, one whom our forefathers feared and hunted to near extinction. Today we recognize that the gray wolf is a species which is monogamous and mates for life, and one that cares greatly for the young and the weak in its pack. Many people who have studied wolves also r...