Wisconsin wolves are in danger: population has decreased by 30% within a year due to legal hunting and poaching
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himIn Wisconsin, the gray wolf population has suffered a frightening collapse of about 30% due to legalized hunting and poaching
Il Wisconsin it is not a country for wolves. Or, rather, it was, but unfortunately it is no longer due to a serious threat: man. Compared to last year, in fact, the population of gray wolves living in the American state has suffered a collapse including between 27% and 33%. And the main cause of the collapse of the species is to be attributed to hunting, authorized in February, and to poaching. The barbarism has begun since the US Fish and Wildlife Service removed gray wolves from the federal list of endangered species last year, giving the green light to the hunting season. The mobilizations of animal welfare associations, which have tried in various ways to stop the slaughter of wolves, were of no use.
And the result is far more dramatic than expected: A recent study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison revealed that about one-third of the wolf population has been culled in secret, illegally. According to the team of scholars, led by Professor Adrian Treves, the removal of federal protections against wolves "opens up the possibility of killing large numbers of specimens legally and illegally".
“Although the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) aims to maintain a stable population, we estimate that the population has actually decreased significantly,” explains Professor Treves.
A terrifying collapse: from over 1000 wolves to around 700 wolves in the space of a year
According to estimates provided by the researchers, today between 695 and 751 wolves live in Winsconsin, compared to 1.034 specimens last year. A disturbing collapse.
Wisconsin was the first US country to resume wolf hunting. The Department of Natural Resources had planned to open the hunting season in November, but was forced to bring it up to February after an organization won a court order. And last winter, in full breeding season for the species, a real slaughter took place. The authorities had to stop hunting after a few days because in a short time the hunters exceeded the quota of 119 specimens to be killed, reaching 218 killed wolves. During the hunting expeditions last winter, even pregnant wolves and in front of their cubs were killed without mercy.
But legalized hunting isn't the only threat facing Wisconsin gray wolves. The death toll could be even worse than announced. As the University of Wisconsin-Madison scholars explain, killings that are not officially counted and fall within the scope of so-called "cryptic poaching" must also be considered. In short, without laws to protect gray wolves, very soon these wonderful animals could find themselves on the verge of extinction again.
Fonte: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Read all our articles on wolves:
- Winsconsin hunters killed over 3 wolves, including pregnant females, in just 200 days
- In the US, gray wolves can be hunted or killed: after 45 years they are no longer a protected species
- Valle d'Aosta approves the anti-wolf bill authorizing the capture and killing of specimens considered dangerous
