Wolves needed to restore an ecosystem.

[rhett o rick]

Today's Seattle Time is running an article about how the loss of wolves (from trapping and shooting,etc) may be unraveling one of the most beautiful ecosystems in the US.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008667916_wolves25.html

"But the loss of the stealthy predators in the early 1900s left a hole in the landscape that scientists say they are just beginning to grasp. The ripples extend throughout what is now Olympic National Park, leading to a boom in elk populations, overbrowsing of shrubs and trees, and erosion so severe it has altered the very nature of the rivers, says a team of Oregon State University biologists. The result, they argue, is an environment that is less rich, less resilient, and — perhaps — in peril."

"We think this ecosystem is unraveling in the absence of wolves," said OSU ecologist William Ripple."

But this doesn't slow down the republicans (aka Palin) from slaughtering wolves in Alaska by shooting them from helicopters. The deaths of the wolves is horrible. And all to make it easier for rich republicans fly to Alaska to find and kill moose.

[rhett o rick]

1. Self delete

[closeupready]

2. People have so damaged America's natural ecosystem. And it's not just wolves -

grizzlies, eagles, buffalo - which species haven't we decimated??

[rhett o rick]

4. Point here is that on one hand we recognize the damage done by eradicating wolves

and on the other hand we (republicans) are still doing it.

[Tashca]

3. Makes sense

If you remove the predators (meat eaters) from the equation then the plant eaters will over populate and eat the landscape to the ground. By their overeating of new young trees and shrubs it could change the landscape and ecosystem for many years. I never really thought about it that way before...
thanks for posting..

[infidel dog]

5. Of course

The trouble is, our "sportsmen" want a superabundance of herbivores they can slaughter for kicks-ERRR-control in their time-honored,sportsmanlike fashion. Ah yes... Sportsmen. Thank goodness for their love and respect for the natural environment and wildlife. Imagine if a large, well-funded special interest group existed in this country whose members simply enjoyed killing animals for the sake of killing? Or if these interests played a major role in management of state and federal lands? Boy wouldn't that be a terrible fucking situation.

[LWolf]

6. Wolves are competition for hunters.

When wolves are helping to control deer and elk populations, there are fewer for hunters, and fewer justifications for hunting.

Not that I have a problem with hunting for meat; I'd rather eat free-range deer or elk than factory-farm raised beef. That's not the only purpose for hunting, though.

If it were up to me, the human population would dwindle to about 1/1000th of its current size, leaving most of the planet to the rest of the species that call her home. She'd be a lot healthier that way.

I'm obviously in the minority, though. ;)

[rhett o rick]

7. Nature will win out. She always does. Humans will figure out a way to destroy themselves.

And then a more natural selection will again occur. There will always be termites and cockroaches.

[LWolf]

8. If we were smart enough

to evolve out of the aggressive compulsion for dominance and destruction, if we were smart enough to look at the writing on the wall, we would self-
select population reduction, among other things, and we wouldn't have to self-destruct.

At this point, we're not smart enough. We may not have enough time left to evolve into that kind of intelligence.

[rhett o rick]

9. Not smart enough? Or too lazy to utilize our brains?

Way too many of us (if not all) use very little of our brain power. Many are too lazy. They want to rely on black magic and or religion to make it easier for them. The human population problem will have to be corrected by some means. Most likely nuclear calamity or an epidemic. The remaining humans will have a chance to do things right and in line with nature, but I doubt they will. Natural selection won't be helping this process.

[LWolf]

10. That's probably more accurate.

Whether it's laziness, or obsessive denial, or intelligence, it's definitely a flaw.

Perhaps a deficit, not in general intelligence, but in something more specific, no matter what we call it.

[Muttocracy]

11. the reintroduction to Yellowstone had an amazing effect on the rest of the food web

classic trophic cascades downward on coyotes, elk, deer, foxes, bears, trees, shrubs...