Mowgli supports a wolf plan

As a child I grew up with two stories involving wolves. One was the classic European fairytale Red Riding Hood, in which the Big Bad Wolf embodies the brutal characteristics of a monster, largely created from legends flowing out of the tumultuous medieval era.

The other was Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, in which Akela’s wolf pack, with the help of Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther, consent to adopt and raise the man-cub Mowgli, teaching him the ways of the jungle and protecting him from his enemy Shere Khan.

As Akela states at the ceremony in which Mowgli is named a member of the pack, “Men and their cubs are very wise. He may be a help in time.” 

Although obviously imperfect in some of its animal depictions, as well as its somewhat imperial tone, Kipling’s collection of stories reflect humanity’s gradually changing attitudes towards much of the animal kingdom.

Sadly, however, since its publication in 1894, the commonly held view that ravenous packs of wolves, if not hunted and kept at bay, will kill livestock and potentially children, has been slow to fade into obscurity. There are still some who believe that if we allow wolves to return in large numbers to the rural areas they once populated, the consequences to humans will be disastrous; that instead of living with Akela and his pack, we will have to fight off creatures more akin to the legendary Big Bad Wolf who ate Red Riding Hood’s grandmamma.

In light of the recent appearance of wolf packs in our wilderness areas, these are fears that the citizens of Washington State must collectively work towards overcoming.  And by adopting the current Wolf Management and Conservation Plan under consideration, each of you, as members of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, have the chance to lead us all in this huge step towards enlightenment regarding our collective views about wolves.

Not only does this plan have strong scientific credibility, requiring at least 15 breeding pairs, which is the bare minimum for reestablishing a wolf population in our state, but also it demonstrates that we have ample room in our wilderness areas to provide safe habitat for them. And, perhaps most importantly for those who still have concerns about living alongside a healthy wolf population, this plan provides a number of important management options, including pack monitoring and financial compensation for loss of livestock should it occur.

This is a well-researched plan, which will make possible a safe and sustainable return of wolf packs to Washington State, and it demonstrates that coexistence with these amazing animals is more than possible.

I would like to live in a state that lives up to Akela’s expectations that "men and their cubs are very wise" and "may be a help in time," rather than one that espouses outdated views regarding these beautiful creatures.

I'm urging the Commission to approve the Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, and lead us all in this major step towards restoring wolf packs to the wilderness areas of Washington State.