Are Alaskan wolves endangered?

Question

People are petitioning against the killing of Alaska's wolves, but I would like to know more about the subject before I sign. Are they overpopulated, close to being endangered, etc? I want to know because my friend was ranting about how people were petitioning about Canada killing seals. It's not that she hates seals, but she knows why they must kill seals. They're overpopulated and they eat all the fish, fishermen would have nothing to catch, and villages would starve or something. Therefore, I don't support something like that (I just don't like how some treat the seals, and they shouldn't be wasted if they are). Are the wolves similar to the seal situation or no?

Answer 1

Absolutely not! I lived in Alaska for four years, so I know for a fact that they have a very healthy wolf population.  I also know that there are a lot of poor people in Alaska who subsist on wild game to keep from starving to death, and they have to compete with wolves for this. If they do not control the wolf population it would severely affect the population of deer, caribou, and other wild game, and the wolves would eventually kill so much that they would starve to death themselves.

Answer 2

Alaska permits the sport hunting of wolves, so you know they aren't endangered because the Endangered Species Act prohibits the hunting of endangered meta-populations.  Their primary food sources are caribou and moose (see the studies done by Warren Ballard) which are plentiful in most areas, but can be difficult for humans to hunt because of their terrain use.

Right now, many biologists believe that commercial fishing is the biggest problem marine life faces.  Many fishermen come from areas totally dependent on fishing, so it is difficult for them to find another livelihood.  The huge size of the government makes regulations difficult to establish and enforce.  Subsistence hunters and fishermen are not regulated or limited, but it seems to me that if they can claim traditional rights, they should be limited to traditional means.   BTW, seal meat is an excellent source of protein and fat, so starvation should not be a problem.

Answer 3

of course not i agree with the above answers