Wolves’ Genetic Diversity Worryingly Low

A new study reveals that Wolf eradication in the US has had a far more devastating impact on the genetic diversity of remaining populations than previously thought.

With the Canadian wolf population at a relatively healthy 70,000, it was assumed that the human impact of past mass eradications had been minor. But scientists found a 43% drop in genetic variability in the modern wolves. It is impossible for the wolf populations to recover this important diversity, which enables them to adapt to different environmental challenges.