Once Protected, now hunted | Teen Ink

Once Protected, now hunted

May 13, 2010
By Lizzylizard BRONZE, Cannon Falls, Minnesota
Lizzylizard BRONZE, Cannon Falls, Minnesota
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Fairy tales are more than true: Not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be defeated." ~G.K Chesterton


Wolves have existed for thousands of years. The respected animals that once practically ruled the Earth, the world’s most fearsome natural villains. To Indians, wolves were a sacred totem; which stands for strength and, faith. What would happen if wolves went extinct? What would all the wolf-loving people do if their fearsome hunters were being chased away? Some things have changed from a hundred years ago from now, and hopefully it will change in the future. We have to save what’s left of our precious animals, before it’s too late.

In 2008, there were nearly one-thousand four-hundred, fifty-five wolves, and one-hundred ninety-seven packs. Back in 1980, there were about eighty red wolves that remained; most of which were placed in captivity. They were soon reintroduced to North Carolina’s wild in 1987. Six-thousand to ten-thousand wolves lived in Alaska in the mid-1980. There were only one-thousand, three-hundred wolves that lived somewhere else in the United States, and most of them in Minnesota. Ranchers’ and government agents started a campaign that eliminated wolves. Bounty programs were initiated in the nine-teenth19th century through 1965, and offered twenty to fifty dollars per wolf. To me, that is animal cruelty. People back then shouldn’t be killing wolves for no reason but money. Some things have changed through the years and one major thing is extinction.

They are now at very high risk, since they’ve been out of protection. They are being hunted now more than they ever have all because they eat farmers’ animals (deer, horses, elk etc.). even though farmers lose their livestock, it’s no reason to hunt the creatures till there are not any left. They’re just animals that are hungry and if livestock is in their path then those are the things they’ll eat. One-thousand wolves have been killed by aerial gunning in Alaska since 2003, and state officials plan on killing even more with the aerial gunning, poison gas, and snares. Now days only about one-hundred red wolves are walking free in the wild; but if they keep being hunted, the number will be 10 or less. Other reasons they’re being hunted is because people are afraid of them; their spine-tingling howl. People think wolves will attack them, but actually wolves are pretty calm creatures. They stay away and avoid people as much as they can and only attack if provoked. We have to do what we can to save them: to change the future.

I believe everyone can save the wolves in the world. The main problem solver is to stop hunting them; doing this will bring that low number of red wolves up and before we know it the population will be rising each year. I would rather have this world over populated with them, than not have any walking the land. I think the wolves play a very special part in the world and in the future they are not treated as they have been in the past, or how they’re being treated now. It’s just a more complicated way of saying, “animal abuse”.

I think everyone needs to look at it in the wolves prospective; they are just like us. They do what they want, and fight for what’s theirs. If it was us, I think ninety percent of everyone would be doing exactly what the wolves are doing now; I think we could be pretty mad and irritated if people were killing our family and friends because we were eating something that belonged to someone. All the people hunting the animals are being hypocritical, and it all needs to stop.



Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 5 comments.


on Feb. 14 2012 at 1:47 pm
TerraAnimusPatronus BRONZE, Eden, North Carolina
1 article 0 photos 61 comments

Favorite Quote:
«You are either the best kept secret or just surrounded by blind people.»

if wolves overpopulated the earth many other animal would go extinct like the animals we depend on for many wide varity of substances i dont believe they should be hunted to extinction but leave it to nature as our cuts heal so will the wolf population over time

WildChild said...
on Jun. 17 2011 at 1:41 pm
WildChild, Dallas, Texas
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
Technology owes ecology an apology.

I knew that this article was about wolves just from the title.  No other animal has caused so much conflict or controversy.  It bothers me that ranchers take the easy way out and shoot wolves instead of watching the herds or maintaing fences.

on May. 20 2011 at 4:32 pm
freeangel BRONZE, Ocala, Florida
1 article 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
love conquer all

I agree to wolves are very special animals ? do u know wolf and wolves are the same

on May. 31 2010 at 6:18 pm
Noir_Soire SILVER, Branson, Missouri
8 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
What I am was born in me. It&rsquo;s a part of who I am, who my family is, who we all are as a tribe &mdash; it&rsquo;s the reason why we&rsquo;re still here.<br /> Jacob Black, &quot;Eclipse&quot; by Stephenie Meyer

I agree, people need to stop hunting wolves! For the hunters that kill wolves because to them they are savage creatures that scare children in folklore and scary stories, that is just total crap! Wolves are not savage creatures and wolves have neved killed humans (except if they are rabid)! Leave the wolves alone and let them live in peace!

on May. 31 2010 at 2:40 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

This article was very true and well-written. Wolves are one of many species that have been impacted by mankind's somewhat destructive nature. I especially like your comparison of wolves to us.

They are wonderful animals, and I sincerely hope that they stay on the Earth.