Taking A Stand

Grey Wolf - Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Having grown up a six hour boat ride from Isle Royale National Park, the grey wolf has always been played a role in my life. As familiar as the bright blue and white “Ranger” that ferried tourists and supplies to and from the island, the annual report on the status of the island’s wolf population was a regular reminder that true wilderness wasn’t far from my reach.

For most of my life the wolf was just another dog, only larger and less domesticated.  I went to Isle Royale, anxious to see the large predator and always returned home disappointed. The few live wolves I have seen were housed in zoos.  It was far more common to see a wolf, long dead, stuffed and on display in some museum or personal collection.

So my interaction with the wolf has been from afar but no less impactful. I have a visceral connection with the wolf; her expressive howl perks up my ears and brings shivers to my body. Her yellow eyes are penetrating, alert and clear, her body muscular and strong.  There are few animals that appear as self-assured as a wolf. The animal knows that it is a top predator and few will challenge her authority.

While I am intrigued by those characteristics, my fascination is not shared by all. Stories of the big bad wolf can be found in many cultures and in the stories of our youth. We humans often fear those creatures that are faster and stronger than we are for they show that despite our advanced intelligence we are physically the weaker species.

In December, I wrote about the lame duck legislation signed by the Michigan’s governor giving the Natural Resources Commission the authority to declare the grey wolf a game species, opening the door to an open hunting season. Wildlife experts in the state estimate that the wolf population is around 687 individuals almost all of them in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

I was upset that the bill was pushed through during the lame duck session, a time when the party in control can push through their agenda with little public input or discussion.  Given the fact that the grey wolf was delisted from the Endangered Species Act just months earlier (February 10, 2012) and the small population of wolves in the state, it didn’t take much imagination to figure out just who was behind this legislation. As wolves are typically not hunted for meat and there are regulations already in place for dealing with nuisance wolves, the only conclusion that I and many others could come to is that Michigan trophy hunters wanted to add the wolf to their collection.  

I am not much of a political activist; I have my opinions but normally don’t feel compelled to advocate publicly. But in this situation, I cannot sit quietly on the sidelines and do nothing. I attended the Keep Michigan Wolves Protected campaign meeting last night here in Traverse City and took home petition forms to gather signatures.  It is my hope that this campaign will bring to the public’s attention the absurdity of this bill and keep Michigan’s small grey wolf population protected.