Conservation vs. Preservation
By: Cory Khoshgam
The Red Wolf
The red wolf is a smaller and a more slender cousin of the gray wolf. Red wolves lived throughout the southeastern U.S. from Pennsylvania to Florida and as far west as Texas. Today, wild populations roam about 1.7 million acres in northeastern North Carolina.
Conserve or Preserve
Conserving is to protect something from harm or destruction. The animal is still hunt- able, but there are limits.
Preserving is to maintain something in its original or existing state. For wild animals it means not hunting them at all.
Should we Preserve or Conserve the Red Wolf
The red wolf was almost hunted to the brink of extinction. Only about 100 red wolves currently live in the wild. Threats to the red wolf include habitat loss, severe weather, deaths by motor vehicles, and hunting. Since the red wolf is so close to extinction we should completely preserve this animal.
Sources
"Red Wolf Recovery Program." Red Wolf Recovery Program. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 24 Nov. 2013. Web. 10 Jan. 2014. <http://www.fws.gov/redwolf/>.
"Red Wolf (Canis Rufus)." Red Wolf Photo. Ed. Arkive. Wildscreen, 2013. Web. 10 Jan. 2014.<http://www.arkive.org/red-wolf/canis-rufus/image-G115403.html>.