Preserving a Vital Species

Founded in 1999, The Wolf Conservation Center of New York plays a key role in educating the public about wolves and restoring this endangered species to the wild. Since the early 1600s, humans have hunted and trapped wolves either from fear or simply for sport, causing the species to become virtually extinct in North America. This poses grave dangers for the environment since wolves play an integral role in the functioning of a healthy ecosystem.

“The mission of the Wolf Conservation Center,” said Operation Manager, Spencer Wilhelm, “is to educate people about the importance of wolves and the human role in protecting the future.” Without a proper understanding of how the ecosystem works, we may unknowingly destroy an entire vital species without realizing the consequences.



Thus, a key part of the mission of the Wolf Conservation Center is education. Several different programs are offered by the Center. Programs geared towards children, along with programs designed only for adults, allow the Center to inform the public about the significance of protecting the wolf population. There are currently thirty-three wolves on site, ranging from Arctic grey wolves to Mexican and Red wolves. The Center also has three ‘ambassador’ wolves who are specifically trained to get closer to people. Atka, one ambassador wolf, annually travels the country, meeting almost 33,000 people and politicians in a single year. “We hope that Washington will understand the importance of wolves,” Wilhelm said. “Their population is vital to our ecosystem.”

Indeed, wolves help to control the population of other animals, which in turn allows the environment to function properly. For example, almost ten years ago, wolves had become virtually extinct in Yellowstone National Park. This led to a rise in the moose population, allowing for free grazing of smaller plants and grasses. The environment suffered with no natural predator for the moose. Yet, with the reinstatement of wolves to Yellowstone, the moose population has been controlled and the vegetation is vibrant again. Further, wolves can also be seen as an umbrella species. This means that by providing a safe habitat for the wolves, the Center is also providing a safe habitat for other animals. A wolf’s home range is usually quite large and, thus, will encompass many other habitat types. By protecting the wolf, other threatened species may also be saved.

The importance of understanding the necessity for the preservation of America’s wildlife cannot be understated. Without certain species alive and well in our ecosystem, devastating results could eventually impact the human population. The mission of the Wolf Conservation Center is integral to our environment. By preserving the wolf species, a standard is set for protecting other endangered species and creating a stable, balanced ecosystem.