The Case for Gray Wolf Reintroduction in Colorado (on the ballot for November 2020)
There is a motion on the 2020 Colorado ballot to allow the reintroduction of gray wolves to the state of Colorado. This is an exciting opportunity for animal lovers and conservationists alike. And though the subject is a much-debated one, here is my reasoning for voting for this initiative... The Science: In a perfectly balanced world, all ecosystems are self-sustainable. This means that vegetation is lush and abundant, providing food and shelter for prey and other animals alike, while top predators keep prey animals (herbivores) in check, so that they don't decimate the vegetation. It's a perfect circle, and can naturally remain in balance until something comes along and upsets part of it. For example, humans killing off all of the top predators. Wolves, mountain lions and grizzly bears are the top predators of Colorado (although wolves and grizzlies have been extirpated by hunters since the 1950's). They hunt prey that are larger than themselves, such as elk and moo...