Opinions: the Aerial Gunning of Wolves

For years now, the Defenders of Wildlife has been sending me alerts on the brutal killing of wolves in Alaska. I've always opposed the savagery that's been documented in bloody photos and videos, but not until today did a classmate make me think: Why is Alaska doing this? What is the motivation? Does the wolf population need to be managed, and if so, why?

Even if the wolf populations are in need of management, there needs to be a humane way to control their populations. However, she inspired me to do some digging.

My research yielded the following: Wolves are being targeted because they are killing their natural prey, caribou and moose, in their Alaskan homeland. A natural prey-predator relationship that the governor wants to stop? Why? There's got to be a motive... And here it is.

Here's an old clip from the Seattle Times (December 8, 1992):

We Should Learn From Alaska's Big, Bad Wolf Mistake
by John A. Baden, Ph.D. and Robert Ethier

KILLING WOLVES is a dramatic and highly controversial wildlife management practice. Alaska has recently proposed this as a way to boost caribou, moose, and deer populations for tourists and hunters.

But many people find gunning wolves from airplanes offensive and are outraged.

The logic underlying the killing seems clear, but the issues are complex. Wolves do kill caribou, elk and moose - especially their young. Reducing wolf populations should increase the numbers of these ungulates, but by how much? There are bitter disputes among scientists over the size of predator impact upon prey populations. Read full article

In a nutshell, it seems that these wolves are being killed so that hunters can come in and have lots of caribou and moose to kill? So... The wolves are being killed because they're doing as nature intended... So that hunters can come in and fulfill a disgusting blood lust for the thrill of the chase?

My research is far from over on this issue, so there will be more updates to come. But I maintain: Even if population management is warranted, there are more humane methods that can be used. After all, hunting by aerial gunning has been illegal in the United States since 1972, and with good reason.

Humane methods of population control will be detailed in a future post.