Time for the West to ride to the rescue!
There is a growing effort in the eastern U.S. to try and restore ecological balance in ecosystems long abused by domesticated populations of white-tailed deer. Groups such as the Cougar Rewidling Foundation, Coalition to Restore Eastern Wolves, and many others are trying to re-establish populations of the two top predators, cougars and wolves, into the East. Using the West as a model, they point to the success in not only reducing excess elk herds in Yellowstone Park but in controlling their movements across the landscape. Like good shepherds, wolves keep the elk moving and thus providing refugia for plants and subsequently animals. Others have documented cougars doing the same with deer, safeguarding fragile riparian habitat. Bolstered with the biological and ecological success of western wolf reintroduction, these eastern organizations have been raising their voices in hopes the same can happen there.
Unfortunately, their voices are ironically alone in this effort. Too silent are those of western groups whose voices were heard loud and clear regarding wolf reintroduction into Idaho, Yellowstone, and the Blue. I say ironically, because those western voices evidently have forgotten the role eastern voices played in their success. People of the East actively supported wolf reintroduction into Yellowstone Park and elsewhere. They did so by letters to their congressmen, by letters to editors, by donations to various western conservation groups, and ultimately by their travels to the Park to hear and see wolves, spending millions of dollars locally and convincing local businesses that wolves were indeed a good thing to have. We all know that the citizens of Idaho, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Arizona did not support the wolf reintroductions. In fact, Idaho forbid their game department to participate in the whole process. Western state senators and congressmen vehemently opposed the reintroductions. If it had not been for the overwhelming support of eastern politicians, wolves would still not be in Yellowstone or anywhere else in the West. I would hope at the very least that Western senators and congressmen would unit in support of wolf and cougar reintroduction into the East at least in sweet revenge: What is good for the West is good for the East! But yet, their voices too, are silent.
Unfortunately, while eastern ecosystems continue to suffer the same fate of Yellowstone before wolves and eastern organizations look to the West for support from former allies, all we hear is silence. Or worse, these same organizations mouthing the same old arguments THEIR opponents used against their efforts: too many people, not the right time, will be too disruptive, will not work, etc. etc. Where is the unquestioned support for wolves and cougars, eastern supporters gave to these efforts? We in the east rose up to support reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone Park yet no western voices rise in chorus for wolves or cougars in Adirondack Park, which is twice as big as Yellowstone! Even the Florida panther, living in an area comparable in size to Yellowstone, is viewed by many as a "local" issue. Has there even been ONE letter to the editor of a California newspaper concerning the need to return cougars and wolves to the East? How many western citizens concerned about wolves and cougars donate to the "eastern cause"? Do they not care that in an area almost equal in size of the "West", there are NO wolves, there are NO cougars. It seems once their objectives were gained, their voices fell silent…"mission accomplished". But restoration of top predators is not just about one small area or about the West overall. It is about returning them to all their former range where it is possible and our voices, East and West, should not be silenced until that mission is accomplished. So come on you western lovers of wolves and cougars join us now, raise your voices, pressure your congressmen, support the cause, do SOMETHING! The lives of 1,000's of future wolves and cougars depend on it…the life of the Eastern ecosystems depends on it. Don't abandon us in our hour of need.
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