BIG NEWS: CNN recently reported that a group of researchers from across the United States wrote a proposal that suggests setting aside a significant amount of federal land as a sanctuary for gray wolves.
The land would be in Arizona, California, Oregon, New Mexico, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah.
This type of action is imperative to ensuring that populations of wolves are protected and are able to recover.
In short, the myth of the big bad wolf is fiction. The wolf is a highly social, loyal, and intelligent predator. They have families, can show deep affection for one another, and care for their young.
As a keystone species, wolves play a key role in keeping ecosystems healthy. They help keep deer and elk populations in check, which can benefit many other plant and animal species.
Wolves are an important part of America’s wilderness and natural heritage. And we’ve seen through the case study of the wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone, that the existence of wolves can also have a powerful impact on local economies and livelihoods.
And yet the topic of wolves brings up very strong, sometimes conflicting emotions from different groups. Why is this?
We’ve seen that the debate about wolves goes way deeper than wolves…it’s rooted in conflicting views over how public lands should be managed and on the cultural value of wildlife. It is not just about wolves, but about people feeling that their fundamental values, needs, and identities are being threatened or ignored.
RandomGood is passionate about telling stories that show how people and wildlife can coexist peacefully.
And we’re especially intrigued by the ecological and economic importance of wolves, and how stakeholders from diverse backgrounds with different interests (i.e. ranchers, Indigenous communities, hunters, and environmentalists) are finding common-ground, having meaningful discourse, and working together on the issue of wolves.
Stay tuned for more information on how RandomGood is getting involved on this important issue.
