The_Impact_Of_The_ESA_On_The_Gray_Wolf_Population

The Impact Of The ESA On The Gray Wolf Population Introduction Gray wolves once roamed across the United States in great numbers, but by the middle of the nineteenth century they had all but disappeared from the Eastern United States. By the middle of the twentieth century the lonely wolf howl could no longer be heard across the upper Midwest (namely Minnesota and Wisconsin,) the Southwest or the western plains. Colonists, followed by farmers, ranchers and hunters had succeeded in nearly eradicating one of the large carnivorous predators that had helped to keep the fragile eco-system in balance. In 1967 the gray wolf had been put on the Federal Endangered Species List, a list that recognized the near-extinct status of the species, but offered no protection of or conservation plans for the future. It was not until the passage in 1973 of the Endangered Species Act did the gray wolf receive full federal protection from hunting, maiming and further destruction of its habitat. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) set up rules and regulations governing the conservation of the species as well as habitat, and in recent years has allowed for the reintroduction of gray wolves into some of the National Forests and Parks such as Yellowstone. This research paper aims to wolf, wolves, gray, species, endangered, act, reintroduction, yellowstone, been, states, one, areas, national, minnesota, population, park, once, new, wildlife, two, recovery, ranchers, montana, list, years, team, rocky, land, killed, federal, 1973, wilderness, plan, mountain, large, esa