WOLVES, HYBRIDS, AND SUSTAINABILITY

Jordan Mundell

Overview

Ecological importance Wolf re-introduction Politics Media Education and wolf hybrids Big picture?

Bio Flashback

http://timworleyellowstonenationalpark.weebly.com/food-web.html

Wolf Role

Keystone species Usually a predator Regulator Keeps system in check “Boss” of the house Maintain equilibrium

Yellowstone

Wolves are competition to hunters Wolf population declines “Trophic cascade” “Natural ecosystem balance” altered

http://www.missionwolf.org/page/trophic-cascade/

Unforeseen Consequences

Herbivore population grows out of control Vegetation decreases Diversity is loss Landscape physically changes

In the 90s a reintroduction effort began by US and Canadian wildlife officials

How Wolves Change Rivers

Protection

One of first species to be listed on the Endangered Species List (1967)

Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Plan U.S. Fish and Wildlife in 1987

“The primary goal of the plan is to remove the Northern Rocky Mountain wolf from the endangered and threatened species list by securing and maintaining a minimum of 10 breeding pairs of wolves in each of the three recovery areas for a minimum of three successive years.”

Good News?

Removed from Endangered List in 2009 Despite objections from environmental

groups Defenders of Wildlife et al v. Salazar (2011)

Debate: stable population? Hunting continues..

http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/wolves.htm

Media Portrayal

Vs.

“Good” “Bad”

“The average person's knowledge of wolves is based upon what they see in the media and the fairly tales they learned as children, neither of which are accurate. The media, especially film media, nearly always portray wolves as evil and sinister. A 'nice' wolf does not sell box office tickets.”

-Michael Hodanish

Perception

What they think: Predator Vicious “Loners”

Reality: Survivor Timid Social

Hybrids

Gray Wolf: Canis lupus Domestic Dog: Canis lupus familiaris Wolfdog: hybridization

Difficulties

Every state has different laws regarding hybrids Some even vary from county to county http://www.hybridlaw.com/

People are generally uneducated in the area  ”People rarely research exotic animal regulations of

their State.  60-70% of our applications come from states where wolfdogs are banned or regulated.” –MH

Confusion “Northern breed dogs, such as Siberian huskies and

Alaskan malamutes with no wolf DNA, are often mistaken for wolf-dogs or wolves.” -MH

Howling Woods Farm

Owner: Michael Hodanish A registered 501(c)(3) animal shelter for

wolf hybrids and northern breed dogs Provides education and information to the

public

Conclusion

Why are wolves important? Teach us how to look at the environment Importance of eco-centric outlook Small changes can have monumental effects Hard to predict the unknown

(Vicious) Pictures

Stuff

http://www.hybridlaw.com/ http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/wolves.htm https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q http://www.missionwolf.org/page/trophic-cascad

e/

http://timworleyellowstonenationalpark.weebly.com/food-web.html

Michael Hodanish