Here's Why Wolves Are Beautiful Animals That Are Important To The Ecosystem

Oct 04, 2018

Wolves and humans have a long adversarial history. Although they rarely attack humans, it is a common misconception that wolves are dangerous predators and natural villains. Because they sometimes attack pets and livestock, countless wolves have been shot, trapped, and poisoned.

Wolves (canis lupus), native to the wilderness of Eurasia and North America, are the largest members of the canine species. The adaptable gray wolf is the most common type of wolf in the Northern Hemisphere. Although they were almost hunted to extinction in the lower 48 states, some populations of gray wolves survived and others were reintroduced into the wild thanks to conservation efforts. Fortunately, gray wolves have faired better in Alaska, Canada, and Asia where their numbers are still numerous.

Wolves are the ancestors of domestic dogs. In fact, wolves and dogs are so closely related that it’s impossible to distinguish the DNA of wolves from the DNA of dogs. Although there is an ongoing debate over when and how domestication occurred, modern dogs probably descended from a single population of wolves which explains the genetics similarities between the species.

Although scientists still debate whether the domestication process occurred by accident or on purpose, it’s agreed upon that domestication was made possible by what is nicknamed the “elf gene.” Researchers have shown that friendless in domestic dogs is associated with the elf gene, which is the same gene that cause hyper-sociability in some people. The selection of wolves with the elf gene mutation is responsible for slowly augmenting the friendliness of wolves to make them amenable to socialization with humans.

It’s long been known that humans artificially selected more docile wolves and bred them to help mankind flourish. The relationship between humans and wolves was cultivated because of the canine affinity for hunting and their ability to work alongside humans. By selectively breeding docile wolves, mankind was able to cultivate a relationship that allowed both canines and humans to get stronger together over time.

Wolves may not make the best pets because of their wild spirits and aptitude for hunting, but they serve a much greater purpose for humanity and the planet. They are essential to the well-being of their natural habitats and the balance of their native ecosystems.

This happened a few years ago through the impact of reintroducing wolves into the American wilderness after near extinction of the species. After being reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s, the wolves saved the rivers and grasses of the national park by hunting the extra elk herds. By thinning the elk population, meadows and forests opened up for the plants to regrow after being mauled by the overgrown elk population. As the vegetation and ecosystem stabilized, the rivers in the park were able to sustain larger groups of fish as well as increase the local beaver population.

As you see, nature has its own way of balancing things out and every species is important to the balance of the ecosystem. Wolves are no less important than any other species.

Please reflect on what you've read and discuss it with others. It is important to be a champion for a species who cannot speak for themselves and educate your friends and the public on why wolves are not to be feared, but adored.