Some Wisconsin Wolves in Peril

Currently, there are about 270 wolves in Wisconsin, outside of Yellowstone, and approximately 850 in the state. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must determine policies that satisfy both environmentalists and ranchers - an impossible task. On one hand, wolves have long been the dominant predator.  A keystone species, every aspect of Wisconsin's ecosystem is changed with drastic changes to wolf populations.During their absence from the region (before reintroduction in the mid 1990s to Yellowstone NP) elk populations skyrocketed. These herbivores, free from predation, devastated the fauna. Other, smaller species depended on this fauna, etc. It's essentially for these reasons that environmentalists fight for wolf protection.

Ranchers, on the other hand, are upset with livestock casualties. The pressure on their pocket-book is, evidently, much more acute than the pressure on the environment. There are other pocket-books in play, as well. Permits for the wolf hunt are in high demand. Already, there are over 10,000 applications for wolf hunt permits. Less than 3,000 will be issued by lottery in still another six weeks.

Environmentalist groups have filed a lawsuit concerning the use of hunting dogs in wolf hunts. Asserting that there is now state-sanctioned animal fighting.

Wisconsin is allowing a maximum yield of 201 wolves from their borders this winter. Some say this is too little, some say too many. Some want as many wolves as possible, some want none. There are middle-grounders who would just like to see the carrying capacity of the wolf population met. Regardless of all these views, there is one that matters, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Given the great success of wolves so far since their reintroduction, there is not much reason to believe that they this year's hunt will doom them. That is assuming that the environmental conditions in which they have thrived will remain.