Minnesota blogger Jeanne Ingalls plea to maintain the integrity of the Great Lakes Wolf population and not to delist and destroy the expanded population that has builit itself back up over a 50 year period--ties in to yesterdays post revealing that the Center for Biological Diversity is seeking to have the Federal Government develop a National Wolf recovery plan for the entire USA including the Appalachians, New England, the Great Plains and the Southern Rockies and Pacific Coast States....................Again, this bog endorses based on National Security issues and biological diversity being essential to the well being of future populations of all animals including us humans!

Wolves should remain a protected species

Once again we are seeing a push to delist the wolves in Minnesota. This time the campaign is being driven by Senator Amy Klobuchar and her political contributors. Not only is there a push to delist the wolves but we are hearing rumors of bills being introduced in Congress that would outlaw any endangered species act protection for gray wolves. The sole purpose of such actions could only be to completely eradicate the entire wolf population. Think about that and the consequences it would bring as wolves play such an important part in our ecosystem. This is an unbelievable push by special interest groups to cut short the promising recovery we have seen to date since the near extinction of this species just a few years ago. It would lay way for the slaughter of our Minnesota wolves.
I can only imagine the devastation that will occur to their numbers if protections for the wolf are lifted. The population already struggles from poaching and disease. If protections are lifted I truly believe that in a very short time we would see the wolf population in the same predicament we saw in the 1960s and 1970s.
Many ranchers and farmers are open to the non-lethal methods of dealing with the wolf such as guard dogs, donkeys, mules and special flagging and fencing. To those of you who are willing to try these methods my hat goes off to you. It is apparent that you care as much about our environment as you do your own property and livestock. Perhaps others will follow in your footsteps.
I live in this part of Minnesota because I have a strong desire to be closer to nature. Living in and with nature comes with a certain inherent risk to myself and the pets and livestock in my care. This is a risk I am willing to take; it's a small price to pay for all of the benefits I receive. Nature is not limited to the trophy size deer, plump ducks and cuddly creatures. Nature is also the amazing wolves, elusive mountain lions and powerful bear. Man is not meant to be the only predator that walks this earth. If some disagree with this thinking perhaps they would be better suited living in the metro areas of our cities.
This is just my opinion. My intention is not to be belittle others or to say they are wrong. In this country we are all entitled to our opinion. My purpose for writing this is simply to request that we do what is truly best for our wildlife and the environment that we are blessed to be a part of. Let's continue to protect our wolves and be a state that is proud of our wildlife and boasts a healthy ecosystem. — Jeanne Ingalls, Park Rapids