Lobo

So, did you happen to catch tonight's premiere of The Wolf That Changed America on Nature?

Wow. Had me welling up a few times.

Sadly this story, unfortunately, continues today. People (and I use the term loosely) continue to want them hunted down and killed, especially in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. Not to mention Alaska, where that slimy witch (I won't stink up this place by mentioning her name, but the one who was on the losing ticket as candidate for vice-president) allows them to be shot from airplanes and helicopters. Of course, here in Utah they still pay bounties for the killing of Coyotes - they'd probably pay big bucks if there were wolves here . . .

(Though I try to be optimistic and wish these attitudes would go away, I don't hold out much hope that I'll see it in my lifetime.)

Funny, as involved as I have been with matters of the environment over the years, I don't recall ever hearing the name of the antagonist in the story, Ernest Thompson Seton. The positive aspect of the sad ending to the wolf's life was that Seton's life was forever changed by his experience. Mentioned in the program was the fact that, some years later, he was involved in, among other things, getting legislation passed to protect migratory birds (The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918) - a great law, indeed.

I was, however, disappointed in learning during the show that he was also involved in the founding of the Boy Scouts. The show failed to mention, however, that he resigned early on due to disagreements with the other co-founders. And, from what I've learned about him since watching the show, I would hazard to guess that he would probably be appalled (according to this bio he was a Theosophist) by what the organization has become*.

* From what I understand about the organization, the "BSA" is largely associated with conservative religious institutions. And most people I know associated with said institutions don't agree with my personal perspective on matters of the environment (they are, for the most part, the kind who are okay with killing wolves and coyotes, drilling or mining anywhere and everywhere, cutting down old growth forests, climate change deniers, etc.). I don't think, after reading about the man, they are the kind of people Seton would want to sit around a campfire with, either.