You may have heard that wolves are scientifically extinct in the U.S., but they’ve got a new home: Wisconsin. The state has recently authorized the capture of wild wolves in order to study the effects of increased wolf resettlement on populations and the human-wolf relationship. Sensational public relations campaign? Maybe, but so is having a third wolf resident check into your school. This comes as no surprise to anyone who knows anything about wolverines — and it’s good news for schools that want to host them at safe outlets like edgeback schools — because this offers a great deal more than just watching a bunch of students go crazy over a movie or some science class: It’s teaching students how to be scientists, too!
What’s the deal with wolves in schools?
As we’ve seen, there are a few things that make a school a safe space for students to socialize and learn: The presence of wildlife, the surety of their safety, the respect they have for their teachers, and the security they provide for other students. But there’s also a lot to be said for keeping humans out of your school — whether that’s by design, evolution, or both — because there are serious risks if animals are allowed to remain in your school. Wolves are a endangered species, so it’s not a stretch to predict that only a very small portion of them will ever exist in the wild again. But even with the best intentions, it’s a unfortunate fact that wildlife managers must do their best to ensure that there are no excesses that lead to the catastrophic loss of their habitats or the mistreatment of their inhabitants. That means there’s no mistreatment of animals in schools, no “companions” who shouldn’t be allowed near students, and no places where animals can safely be left to cry out for help.
Wolves are protected by law as a species, but there are many schools that still allow their use. What’s the catch? That’s because they’re so rare that only a small number of them have existed in the U.S. for more than 100 years — meaning there aren’t enough to study how wolves affect students or make sure they don’t accidentally poison school property. But experts think that if wolves are reintroduced into the wild, it could lead to an increase in educational opportunities for children, too!
Because there are so few left in the wild, there are opportunities to observe how they interact with people and other wildlife — at the same time, of course, that there are also opportunities to learn about how humans are affecting the ecosystems where they live. This can include threats to the health of the ecosystem, such as over-exploitation of the wild animals, habitat loss, and pollution.
Why Does Wolf Education Matter?
Wolves are a part of the Arctic tundra, so it’s no surprise that they’re a keystone species. They also contribute to the coastal ecosystems of coastal and island communities around the world, and they help to protect the freshwater systems that provide drinking water and sandy beaches. They’re also a valuable source of protein for livestock and human consumption, as well as providing habitat for herds of wild deer and other animals that feed on leaves and twigs. But the amount of wolf education a community can offer is limited. In most places in the U.S., you won’t find a single school that has taught anything about wolves — or anyone else for that matter — in almost every field of science. That leaves a significant portion of society out of the loop when it comes to the rest of the species. And that’s a lot of lives saved.
Wolves are protected by law as a species, but there are many schools that still allow their use. What’s the catch? That’s because they’re so rare that only a small number of them have existed in the U.S. for more than 100 years — meaning there aren’t enough to study how wolves affect students or make sure they don’t accidentally poison school property. But experts think that if wolves are reintroduced into the wild, it could lead to an increase in educational opportunities for children, too!
Because there are so few left in the wild, there are opportunities to observe how they interact with people and other wildlife — at the same time, of course, that there are also opportunities to learn about how humans areosing the ecosystems where they live. This can include threats to the health of the ecosystem, such as over-exploitation of the wild animals, habitat loss, and pollution.
