The red wolf has been persecuted since colonial times. There are few cases in American history where any wolf has ever been protected from hunters and trackers. Our national parks have become sanctuaries for wild animals, but wolves have not found adequate protection in them; they were considered a threat to the existence of other game animals. The trapper has pursued the red wolf with steel traps and poison bait, forgetting that he does man a service in destroying rodents and rabbits that are often detrimental to crops and that compete with domestic animals for food.
A tribute to the cunning and intelligence of the red wolf is the fact that he has retreated into areas unspoiled by man and is able to remain out of reach of the hunter. May his howl be heard in the woods and swamps and prairies for many years to come!
(From Vera Dugdales Album of North American Animals.)
Saturday, February 10, 2007
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