The great wolf debate: hunt them down or let them flourish?

The hills are covered in snow. The mountains' jagged edges force remembrance of the difficult terrain that surrounds Idaho’s landscape. This is wolf territory, but for many American government officials, the reintroduction of wolves in a number of states has led to overpopulation of the species. This led to the controversial green light being given for wolf hunting seasons last year - all in the name of 'conservation,' officials argued.

The story begins back in 1995, when Idaho reintroduced a number of gray wolves into the state as part of the 'experimental, non-essential' clause of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). From there the animals developed and grew in numbers across the state as wildlife biologists helped support the small ecosystems that were developed for the animals’ use.

In North-Central Idaho in the United States Pacific Northwest, the Nez Perce Native American tribe also started their own project, which enabled a pack of wolves to live and create familial ties in a large fenced-in area. One of the biologists leading the project, Loren Kronemann, believes it was through the concerted efforts of biologists and the wolves themselves that they were successful in seeing the...

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