A hunt raging out West is the latest salvo in a pitched battle involving the iconic gray wolf. For decades, it’s been at the mercy of humans either intent on eliminating or protecting it.
Gray wolves were established in the northern Rockies when settlers arrived in the 1800s. But once expanding agriculture eliminated much of their natural prey, the wolves began preying on livestock. Ranchers and hunters responded by killing the wolves to within an inch of the species’ existence.
By the mid-1970s, federal recovery efforts were enlisted. Since then, the wolves’ numbers have swelled or plummeted as they’ve been alternately protected or hunted.
Last year, three states passed laws aimed at killing 90% of their gray wolves. That prompted advocacy groups to request emergency federal protection. As ever, the issue is far from resolved.