This is a very hard topic to discuss, its not the wolves fault for killing the animals, they need to eat too right? I support the wolves with all effort that I can. What is it that they are suppose to do?

Beautifully worded. I love reading NatGeo, particularly the Editor's Notes, and this one sparked my interest especially. Keep it up Mr. Johns :)

I wish a little bit of global perspective was also considered in the article. In many other regions of the world, wolves are not regarded with the same kind of fear and loathing. In India for instance, in most parts, they are regarded as part of the environment - and any loss to wolves is regarded like loss to disease.

I'm afraid I disagree with one small point: that journalist Douglas Chadwick gave an unemotional account without leaning to one side or the other. I felt that the article was slanted to the anti-hunting side, and as a hunter, I was disappointed by this. Wolves are magnificent and deserve to exist, but hunting is and always will be an effective means to manage wildlife populations.

I hear that studies are showing river banks are becoming less degraded where ever wolves and other predators are returned to their former ranges. I guess sheparding needs to make a comeback. I feel for the ranchers.

Editor:
National Geographic

Re: Wolf Wars

I have subscribed to your publication for a while. Obviously, I have read them in waiting rooms forever.

Guess I have to let my subscription lapse. The bleeding heart letters from people that have obviously never seen nature beyond their house pet was getting bad enough.

However, when you ignored the ultimate victim of the wolf reintroduction (the brown bear) it was a final straw. What was supposed to be an in-depth article completely ignored this animal. In lieu of the two page spread on the hunter killed wolf, maybe next time you will do one on the sow bear and her two cubs coming out of the den to find nothing to eat. Their survival and resurgence completely relied on hunter killed carcasses in the fall and winter kill in the spring. Guess what? She gets neither. Oh, wait!! The Aspen trees are doing better. Talk about ultimate tree huggers.

You might want to give a heads up to your subscription department to save some postage fees by scratching me off their subscription renewal list.

Going to miss some things about you. I loved your pictures.

I can live anywhere on the planet earth I choose. I live in Wyoming by choice.

Dave Stevenson

I think it is unfortunate that so many place the blame on the wolves. They are simply trying to survive in a world that we messed up. If we did a better job of "managing"our own population and quit being wasteful and greedy perhaps there would be room for all species.

Wolves are an essential part of the ecosystem; and, their long overdue reintroduction righted a shameful example of ignorance and fear. An apex predator they help keep the population of many other animals such as elk healthy by culling the sick and infirm. To regard them as vermin is to reveal oneself as uneducated and ignorant both about one's own place in the world and about the wolves place and role. I feel for those who actually own land and have been impacted by wolves and am glad that they get compensation for their losses, but I feel little sympathy for those whose cattle graze on federal land for ridiculously low fees and feel entitled to do so AND get compensated when they are using "the peoples land", public land for their own profit.

Please note that all comments are reviewed by the blog moderaor and then promptly deleted if he/she doesn't agree with your opinion.

I read your comment about the wolf wars in the issue and thought you should not have told the tale of your lamb killing. Your experience is unrelated. But it gives a implication.......a dog killed your lambs. National Geographic is not a soap opera.....I want facts. If you have dramatic incidents in your past write a book.

How ironic I get this issue the very same day this news hits Alaska. I happen to live pretty close to the community. A week ago I participated in a meeting where we wrote a letter formally requesting active predator control. I know people involved with the investigation. This will probably touch off quite a debate but the evidence is hard to ignore:

From Anchorage Daily News

Teacher likely killed by wolves, troopers say

CHIGNIK LAKE: Evidence points to attack by two or three animals, troopers say.

http://www.adn.com/2010/03/11/1179368/teacher-likely-killed-by-wolves.html

By JAMES HALPIN
jhalpin@adn.com
Published: March 12th, 2010 08:48 AM
Last Modified: March 12th, 2010 09:09 AM
Alaska State Troopers on Thursday concluded a woman found dead in Chignik Lake early this week was most likely killed in a wolf attack, and state authorities were headed there to try to capture or kill the animals.

Candice Berner, 32, appeared to have been killed Monday evening during a run along a remote road outside the Alaska Peninsula community, according to troopers.

The state medical examiner concluded, following an autopsy Thursday morning, that the cause of death was "multiple injuries due to animal mauling." Based on interviews with biologists and villagers in Chignik Lake, troopers concluded wolves were the animals most likely responsible, troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said in a statement.

The undeniable predator, this animal is smart, adaptable, and social. The word wolf is a metaphor for all types of expressions of dominance. It is their natural diets, that have got them in trouble with humans, humans who have showed up on earth for a fraction of the time the wolves have been here. Our staff at VitaHound is particularly interested in the notion that all domestic dogs evolved form these guys.

I wish the author would have addressed the concept of livestock guardian dogs regarding the standoff between conversationalists and ranchers.

These large breed animals are not only great with the family but bond quickly with the animals they are charged guarding.

Maremma Sheepdogs in particular have been known not only to ward off wolves but black bear and coyotes too.

There is no single answer to this great debate but LGDs are indeed a viable resource for protecting the interests of the landowners.

As a long time subsriber, and a 20 year employee of the US Fish and Wildife Service in the National Wildlfe Refuge Division, I found four puzzling omissions from National Geographic's otherwise excellent article "Wolf Wars". The four National Wildlife Refuges in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem map are not identified, and the colors assigned to them on the map of the Yellowstone area wolf packs are for National Forests. Why were the National Elk Refuge (WY), Camas National Wildlife Refuge(ID), Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge (ID) and Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (MT) unidentified, and miscatagorized as National Forests. As NG is one of the world's most respected cartographic instituions, I was surprised and disappointed by this omission. Was there an editorial reason for this?

I completely agree with Jennifer that it’s not the wolves fault for killing the animals, and they need to eat too. I support the wolves with all effort that I can.

I think it is unfortunate that so much blame on the wolves. They are just trying to survive in a world where we messed up. If one does a better job steer our own people and stop being greedy and unnecessary there may be room for all species. Such a lovely picture i seen ever like this.

I support the wolves with all effort that I can. What is it that they are suppose to do?

Wolf is a ancient totem of Central Asian nomads particularly in Mongolia still. They are believe that their ancestors were born from the Grey wolf and red deer. It is interesting for others. Genghis khan's army had frightened against their enemies as a like wolf's hunting methods.. etc...

The readership of VitaHound are truly dog-lovers and a recent discussion among our readers has brought me back to this article. The domesticated dog now lives mainly in doors and receives health care beyond what many human populations in poorer countries receive. Our interest was the steadily increasing demand of dog teeth cleaning products by dog owners who are mainly interested in eliminating their dog's bad breath. The wolf needs a marketing campaign; the successful humanization of the family dog is in large part the success of marketing. One day the wolf will be respected and left to live as the wild animal they are so good at being maybe the same marketing that has everybody brushing their dogs teeth can get us to respect the wolf as a wild animal.