Journey

"I come more and more to the conclusion that wilderness, in America or anywhere else, is the only thing left that is worth saving." - Edward Abbey

http://news.yahoo.com/terrifying-wonder-journey-californias-lone-wolf-084000269.html

As the rest of the world ushered in the new year, northern California welcomed a long exiled member of its native fauna back to the landscape: a solitary male wolf (Canis lupus).

As this wolf passed into California it made national headlines. Such a charismatic creature's return would be expected to do as much. However, few of these articles addressed anything more than the "feel good" portion of the story. Assuredly, cattle ranchers and environmentalists immediately mobilized. Both camps have much to gain, or lose, in the potential upcoming battle. If our lone wolf (affectionately named Journey) never finds a mate it will all be in vain, and this is precisely what the cattle industry is hoping for.

As a wildlife biologist, it is my hope that a female will follow Journey into this "new" territory. Human ignorance extirpated these animals, it is time that we allowed them to return home. We owe it to them, their ecosystem, and our selves.

Their ecosystem, how so? While still very controversial, many papers point to a top-down balancing of ecosystems when alpha predators are returned to the landscape. One popular example is the Yellowstone ecosystem. It appears that the reintroduction of wolves to the ecosystem has brought about the first regeneration of aspen since wolves left the ecosystem. Following the removal of wolves from the landscape, elk (Cervus elaphus) populations went through the roof. These elk virtually mowed down any aspen that tried to grow. With the wolf's reintroduction, these stands are regenerating for the first time in decades, thereby saving the landscape from the erosion which had begun to take hold. What benefits do we stand to see from the return of wolves to Lassen County California, and beyond? Only time will tell, but I fully support finding out.

As previously mentioned, ranchers immediately voiced their discontent with the potential return of wolves to the landscape. From their standpoint, wolves threaten their livelihood, and therefore should be vanquished from the territory. Much of the land used by these ranchers is owned by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. http://www.statereports.us/2010/04/california-tribal-federal-lands-map/ Personally, it is my belief that our public lands should not be used as subsidized grazing lands for cattle (unless they provide a beneficial ecosystem service). Farmers who choose to use these lands should absorb the costs of cattle lost to native predators.

The time has come for science to guide our management decisions, not the whims of a rancher, government marksman, or the average layperson (voters). Only time will tell if Journey will succeed in finding a mate in California. I, for one, certainly hope he does, and would love to study how the ecosystem transitions as a result. Wild places need wild beasts.

Welcome home, Journey. It is good to see you again!