Saving America’s Wolves

    Imagine you are a gray wolf in the Montana wilderness. You are one of the most feared predators on Earth. Your teeth can crush bone. Other animals run when they see you.

    But there is one creature that fills you with fear. Humans.

    For hundreds of years, humans in America have hunted, poisoned, and trapped your kind. They have almost made you extinct.

    And they aren’t done with you yet.

    Imagine you are a gray wolf in the Montana wilderness.

    You are one of the most feared predators on Earth. Your teeth can rip through skin and crush bone. Animals many times your size flee in terror at the sight of you.

    But there is one creature that strikes fear into your heart.

    Humans.

    For centuries, humans in America have hunted, poisoned, and trapped your kind. They have almost made you extinct.

    And they aren’t finished with you yet.

    Before the 1800s, as many as 2 million wolves lived in America. They roamed the leafy forests of New England. They howled across the deserts of the Southwest. They splashed through the icy rivers of the Rocky Mountains.

    But then people began to move to new parts of America. These people were called pioneers—and they were terrified of wolves. They told their children stories in which wolves were human-eating monsters. Americans’ fear of wolves soon grew into hatred. 

    That’s when wolves began dying out. 

    Humans shot them with guns. They tricked them into eating poisoned meat. They caught them in sharp metal traps. They turned their fur into hats and coats. 

    Then wolves were gone. By the 1920s, there were none left in most of America.

    Before the 1800s, as many as 2 million wolves lived in America. They roamed the forests of New England. They howled across the deserts of the Southwest. They splashed through the rivers of the Rocky Mountains.

    But then people began to move to new parts of America. These people were called pioneers. They were afraid of wolves. They told their children stories in which wolves were human-eating monsters. Their fear of wolves turned to hatred. 

    Then wolves began dying out Humans shot them with guns. They tricked them into eating poisoned meat. Humans caught them in sharp metal traps. They made hats and coats from their fur.

    Then wolves were gone. By the 1920s, there were none left in most of America.

    Before the 1800s, as many as 2 million wolves lived in America: They roamed the leafy forests of New England, howled across the deserts of the Southwest, and splashed through the icy rivers of the Rocky Mountains.

    But then people began settling in new regions of America. These people, called pioneers, were terrified of wolves. In the stories they told their children, wolves appeared as vicious, human-eating monsters. Americans’ fear of wolves quickly evolved into hatred.

    That’s when wolves began dying out. Humans shot them with guns, tricked them into eating poisoned meat, and caught them in sharp metal traps. They turned their fur into hats and coats.

    Then wolves were gone. By the 1920s, they had vanished from most of America.

    Fifty years later, people started to see that wolves aren’t monsters. They also began to see that Earth needs wolves. Why?

    As wolves began dying out, the number of elk grew in parts of the country. That’s because there were no wolves to hunt them.

    These elk ate up trees and grasses that other animals needed to survive. Without these trees and grasses, birds couldn’t build their nests. Beavers couldn’t build their dams.

    Wolves are apex predators—animals at the very top of the food chain. Apex predators are an important part of the ecosystems where they live. Without them, the natural world is out of balance.

    We need wolves. So the U.S. government made a law to keep them from being hunted. 

    Fifty years later, many people started to realize that wolves aren’t monsters—indeed, they’re afraid of humans. People also began to understand that Earth needs wolves. Why?

    As wolves began to disappear, the numbers of elk increased in some regions of the United States. That’s because wolves weren’t around to hunt them.

    These elk gobbled up trees and grasses that other animals needed to survive. Without these trees and grasses, birds couldn’t build their nests and beavers couldn’t build their dams.

    Wolves are what are known as apex predators—animals at the very top of the food chain. Apex predators are a vital part of the ecosystems where they live: Without them, the natural world is out of balance.

    Killing off wolves was a terrible mistake—and so the U.S. government passed a law that protected them from being hunted. 

    In the 1990s, wildlife experts came up with a bold plan. They decided to bring wolves back.

    The experts caught 31 gray wolves up in Canada. These wolves were then set free in Yellowstone National Park—2.2 million acres of wilderness in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. Scientists hoped that these wolves would have pups and form new packs. Packs are groups of wolves that live and hunt together.

    The plan worked. In fact, it was a huge success. In less than two decades, 1,600 wolves were in the Yellowstone area. Today, the government says that wolves are no longer in danger of becoming extinct.

    In the 1990s, wildlife experts made a plan. They would bring wolves back.

    They caught 31 wolves in Canada. The wolves were then set free in Yellowstone National Park, 2.2 million acres of wilderness in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. The experts hoped the wolves would have pups and form new packs (groups of wolves that live together).

    Within 20 years, 1,600 wolves were in the area. Today, the government says wolves are no longer in danger of becoming extinct.

    In the 1990s, wildlife experts came up with a bold plan: to bring wolves back.

    The experts caught 31 gray wolves up in Canada. These wolves were then released in Yellowstone National Park—2.2 million acres of wilderness in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. Scientists hoped that these wolves would have pups and form new packs—groups of wolves that live and hunt together.

    The plan was a tremendous success: In less than two decades, 1,600 wolves were living in the Yellowstone area. Today, the government reports that wolves are no longer in danger of becoming extinct.

    Many people are glad to have wolves back. Thousands go to see them in Yellowstone every year. And wolves are helping to fix Yellowstone’s ecosystem. Elk populations are now smaller and healthier.

    But not everyone is glad wolves are back. Some hunters complain that wolves hunt the same animals they do. Some farmers are angry because wolves kill their cows. A few states have decided to let people once again hunt wolves outside of national parks.

    To keep wolves from almost dying out again, experts are raising them in conservation centers and setting them free in the wild. The centers also teach people about wolves.

    Many Americans are delighted to see wolves thriving again. Every year, thousands of tourists flock to see the wolves in Yellowstone National Park. And wolves are helping to repair the ecosystem in Yellowstone too: Elk populations have become considerably smaller and healthier.

    But not everyone is rejoicing at the return of wolves: Some hunters complain that wolves hunt the same animals they do, and some farmers are unhappy because wolves kill their livestock. A few states have decided to allow people to once again hunt wolves outside of national parks.

    In an effort to prevent wolves from disappearing again, wildlife experts are raising wolves in conservation centers and then releasing them back into the wild. These conservation centers have also created programs that educate people about the importance of wolves.