Thanks to innovative contraception methods, there's no reason to kill a single wolf in order to control their population ("Wolf-control program legal again, state says," March 25, Daily News Web site).
Hunting by pilot-gunner teams creates ideal conditions for overpopulation. After the hunt is over, the abrupt drop in wolf population leads to less competition among survivors, resulting in a higher birth rate.
Contraception, however, works. It was proven in Rocky Mountain National Park, where contraception was used to effectively reduce the elk population. In various parts of the country, immuno-contraception programs that use vaccines have been successfully used to control wild horse, deer and feral pig populations.
Let's strive to peacefully co-exist with other animals, rather than cause more suffering.
-- Christine Martin, staff writer
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Norfolk, Va. |
