Wolves occupy a unique place within the psyches of many Americans, often stirring up ambivalent feelings: they’re amazing and majestic creatures, but do they have an impact on local game animals, livestock, pets, and perceived levels of safety?

While I’d suggest you read and savor Aldo Leopold’s seminal essay Thinking Like a Mountain to add depth to your personal understanding of the role of wolves in ecosystems, this recent article presents new and unexpected information regarding the health of wolf populations in the west.

“Without adequate space to raise their offspring, wolf packs lash out at competing clans and fight to the death to protect their turf.

That’s among findings of a recent study by Utah State University ecologist Dan MacNulty and colleagues from the University of Oxford and the Yellowstone Wolf Project. The team published the research in the April 21, 2014, online issue of Journal of Animal Ecology. Their paper will appear in a future print edition of the British Ecological Society publication.”

For more, head over to Phys.Org.