Mosbach, 09 / 27 / 01

 Dear Mister Krause,

 American Farm Bureau Federation’s General Counsel

We are a group of four  students from Germany. In our bilingual biology lessons  we have been working on a project about the reintroduction of Gray Wolves in the Yellowstone National Park.

 You are right that it was illegal to reintroduce the Gray Wolves into Yellowstone with 10j, the Endangered Species Act, because the Gray Wolves are not threatened by extinction. But it would also be illegal to poison, trap or kill them now.

You suggested to bring them back to Canada, but as far as we know, Canada is not even willing to take them back; They say that the Gray Wolves are doing great in Yellowstone’s ecosystem:

 - The Yellowstone National Park was a perfect example of an out-of-balance ecosystem before the Gray Wolves had been reintroduced. ( National Wildlife Federation )

 - The wolves control the population of other animals in the park and have helped other species to thrive. ( Ed Bangs )

 - Animals like raven and other scavengers eat the remains after the wolves have stopped eating. * ( Ed Bangs )

 - The wolves’ fur is used by several birds to build nests and when the wolves leave their dens, they are often habited by other animals. * ( Ed Bangs )

                                      [   *     => kind of commensalism   ]

 Particularly the livestock industry has been the most outspoken opponent of wolf restoration. We understand that they don’t want another predator feeding on their livestock, as it gets killed by golden eagles, mountain lions, grizzly bears.. But generally the Canadian wolves prey on elk, they start attacking livestock just if there are no elks or other animals they usually hunt.

The federal government pays for the Gray Wolf reintroducting program. We think therefor many ranchers have federal grazing preferences, they are allowed to let their animals graze on federal land. So there is no need to let animals graze next to the wolves habitat in the park.

When there have been livestock problems Ed Bangs and his group efficiently take care of it  ( The Endangered Species Act allows a two- strike policy. After its first interaction with livestock, a wolf is moved to a distant site. After its second interaction , a wolf may be trapped or shot. ).

But as if there has been a case of livestock attack by wolves the producers receive a compensation ( money ) from the Defenders of Wildlife, a group that established a private compensation program. So it is really pretty hard to complain.                                                                                                                                   

( mostly quoted from an interview between NOVA and Ed Bangs )

But the Gray Wolves are not just necessary for the ecosystem.  They have become Yellowstone’s hottest tourist attraction, unless wolves are generally afraid of people and avoid contact with them. The park and those people who own businesses around Yellowstone or Central Idaho have a profit of more than $19 mio. per year.  

 We have chosen you and your organisation to send an e-mail to because we want to present our opinion about the reintroduction of the Gray Wolves into Yellowstone National Park and to persuade you perhaps in a little way.

 “ The Gray Wolves fit in greatly and they are necessary for the ecosystem, so they should not be removed !! “

 Sincerely yours,

 Jan, Jasmin, Margrit and Teresa