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Dogs and wolves are genetically so similar, it’s been difficult for biologists to understand why wolves remain fiercely wild, while dogs can gladly become "man’s best friend." Biologists think the different behaviors are related to the animals’ earliest sensory experiences and the critical period of socialization.

Until now, little was known about sensory development in wolf pups, and assumptions were usually extrapolated from what is known for dogs. This would seem to be reasonable, except scientists already know there are significant differences in early development between wolf and dog pups.
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Is this good or bad? – It’s not only dolphins and whales that are in trouble–land animals are too (NOTE: Subscribers can still listen to these shows). Hunters couldn’t get the right to slaughter dolphins and whale hunts are being limited, so now they’re trying to kill wolves. A recent political candidate even boasted about shooting them from a helicopter! Without these predators, the deer population will explode, bring many new cases of lyme disease.

Wolves were once almost poisoned to extinction by farmers protecting their livestock, but since they were added to the Endangered Species list 20 years ago, they are making a come back and farmers are seeking the authority to start killing them again.
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We now know that prehistoric man did not hunt the mammoth into extinction. The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park 10 years ago has been blamed for the 40% decline in the elk population there?but it turns out that the wolves are not responsible either.

Global warming was what actually made mammoths become extinct, and it turns out that in a way, it has led to the decline in the elk as well, since years of drought have contributed to it. Another extinction pressure comes from human hunters. Also, there is evidence that elks have been dying off from a form of mad cow disease.
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