Another animal makes it off the endangered species list, but for how long?

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/02/22/gray-wolf-return.html

No offense, but I don't know of any hunters with enough money to afford a helicopter and I suspect the great majority can't.  As long as they're still protected then hunting shouldn't be allowed, poaching will happen anyways though.

Here's my take on it. There's been many animals who have been (and still are) on the endangered species list long before anyone heard or knew what the term "Global Warming" meant. And poaching has been around for a very long time! Which is why a lot of these animals are on the endangered species list to begin with.  People are also moving out of the cities and taking natural land away from the animals who live there. Which means, we have animals such as cougars and deer running around in our backyards when we never had them before.
I'm very thankful though that the gray wolf has been taken off the list. I hope it stays that way.
They are such beautiful animals and for anyone to pull a rifle on them just sickens me.



Cait, there are many types of hunting excursions that if the person is willing to pay enough, they will take them up in a helicopter and let them "hunt". Depending of course on what they are "hunting".

Responsible hunters won't do that. I know many hunters who would never ever think of hunting from a helicopter, but there have been reports of it.

"Hunting" from helicopters doesn't scare me as much as those that still persist in placing "bounties" on wolf and coyote heads. Those near Kansas and Texas can help me out on this one. When we lived in Kansas in the early 90's, they were giving $100 dollars for every coyote or wolf brought in. They "said" it was because of the damages done to livestock.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I have never seen a coyote that could bring down a full grown cow. And most of the calves raised in Kansas are auctioned off for veal. They never leave the chute they are born in.

As for the wolves. The only ones left are in the northern corner of Kansas, well away from the agricultural districts. Even Arkansas isn't as hard on the few coyotes and wolves that remain there. And I have talked to many chicken farmers there who say that they lose more to wild dogs people drop off than to native wolves or coyotes.

The wolf has been maligned in history for generations, and while I am very glad that their numbers have increased enough to take them off the list. I really think it is just going to give those who will always fear our "Furry Friends" a reason to poach even more.



                                                 Tabz