Beleaguered Mexican wolves

Photo: www.mexicanwolves.org

First the good news: Wild Mexican wolves, when left alone with packs intact, are reproducing with healthy litters.

Now the not such great news: US Fish and Wildlife had to yank two of a litter of six pups from the wild after three of the others died from unknown causes. (Note that one of those three died in a reunion attempt orchestrated by the agency.) The two that were taken by FWS had been abandoned by the mother.

Nature is a cruel mistress, indeed, but we're supposed to trust that life (and death) has its own wisdom. If we hadn't pushed this species- among others- to the brink of extinction through anthropocentric manipulation, we wouldn't have to keep "managing" it now. But here we are, and so what is the right thing? Hands off? What about the two pups? Is is right to surrender them to their fate, even if that fate is certain death? What about when a species is literally just a few pups away from blinking out entirely? Does the game change? How did humans cause this and what is our responsibility to fix it?

We don't have any answers. We don't expect to. We just know that its an unfortunate and bewildering mess we've created by being so far out of balance with the natural world.