I want wolves in Utah and I am disgusted by Utah officials who are organizing a hunt for a wolf who allegedly preyed on livestock. Many Utahns and Americans want to conserve wildlife and care about ecosystems over economic gain for a few individuals — ranchers. I am tired of federal and state officials not making science-based decisions, and instead pandering to a powerful minority.
Wolves are often erroneously blamed for livestock predation. Oftentimes, they feed on carrion from livestock that have died from other causes, such as respiratory problems, but any bite marks in the carcass left behind brings a murder conviction and a death sentence from ranchers and their subservient wildlife officials. Contrary to long standing cowboy culture mythology, science tells us that ranchers may actually benefit from wolf presence. Coexisting with wolves may actually reduce livestock predations because the majority of predations are caused by coyotes, whose populations are uncontrollable by humans. Wolves are apex predators, and their presence will reduce coyote populations.
Instead of eradicating wildlife and allowing ranchers to take over anything that is left in terms of undeveloped land in the Western U.S., maybe we should conserve wolf habitats and the healthy ecosystems that will ensue.
Joni Wirts
Cottonwood Heights