The wolves of Denali National Park, Toklat pack and others, venture out of the park boundaries in the winter to feed and support their families.
These wolves, habituated to human presence are easy targets for hunters and trappers in Alaska.
The buffer zone around the Park to protect these wolves from too much hunting and trapping is set to expire this spring and there is much pressure from Alaska hunters and trappers to remove the protection of this buffer zone.
Please sign the petition keep the buffer zone and stay involved in this issue, particularly if you are from Alaska. All signatures welcome, however. http://www.ipetitions.com/...
The buffer zone is necessary to protect wolf diversity and wolf population health in Alaska. Wolves from Denali and elsewhere gather in this area in the winter because it is winter feeding grounds for them. This is healthy for both predador and prey. Sound management would include keeping this buffer zone and expanding this buffer zone. People do not need to kill so many wolves to survive. Respect for wolves is respect for our cultural heritage and for the true spirits of the north that give richness to our wild Alaskan landscape.
Adolph Murie studied the wolves of the Toklat pack and his studies, along with those of recently deceased wildlife biologist Gordon Haber, demonstrated that Alaska's wolves are important for keeping the prey herds healthy and that continuity in their family structure is the best avenue for maintaining this balance.
I have been photographing wolves in Denali for the past four years. These and other wolves in the wilderness of the north are extraordinary beings.
A few photos can be viewed here: http://akmk.com/...