Reintroducing Wolves
In the 1800's, west expansion brought settlers and their livestock into contact with native predator and prey. With the prey removed, wolves began to prey on domestic stock, which resulted in humans eliminating wolves. Predator control, including poisoning, was practiced in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Other predators such as bears, cougars, and coyotes were also killed to protect livestock and "more desirable" wildlife, such as deer and elk.
In the 1960's, National Park Service wildlife management policy changed to allow populations to manage themselves. Also in the 1960's and 1970's, national awareness of environmental issues and consequences led to many laws designed to correct the mistakes of the past and help prevent the same mistakes in the future. One such law was the Endangered Species Act, passed in 1973. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is required by this law to restore endangered species that have been eliminated, if possible. By 1978, all wolf subspecies were on the federal list of endangered species |