August 28, 2002: There has long been a debate over the wolves of the United States. Should they be protected or abolished? For the next couple of days I will observe these creatures and find my own answer.

August 29, 2002: The wind was particularly chilly today, but it seems to have little affect on the wolves. The pack took down a large buck this morning. Their hunting skills are outstanding. I have also discovered a part of my conclusion; wolves keep nature in balance. Without them, we would have too many deer and rodents.

August 30, 2002: The pack jumped a fence into a farmers fields today. They took three sheep. The farmer shot at them, all of which missed. As I watched them drinking from a small creek I thought. I have unearthed another fact; wolves do keep populations of other animals down, but they get to a farmer's livestock. I have not yet taken a side on this dilemma.

August 31, 2002: The day passed rather uneventfully. When the pack had gone out to hunt, the "babysitter" as I have come to call him had playtime with the cubs. They crawled all over him and had a blast. It was cute. As I chuckled I realized he was almost like a second father to them. Wolves are closely related to humans when it comes to family life. Maybe wolves should stay, but my final decision is still in the most primitive form.

September 1, 2002: Last night I fell asleep to the pack's howling chorus. After three days of observing these creatures, I have come to my decision. Wolves should be saved.

They keep nature in balance. Without them too many creatures, such as deer, would be destroying crops. Humans might shoot them enough to where they are in the same position as the wolves.

If a farmer is worried about his livestock, he could put up a higher fence and inspect it every month or so for gaps and damages. By observing the current territory of wolves, I have noticed not many farmers would be in that position anyway.

Wolves also reflect us. We all have a family, with similar roles compared to the wolves.

A thought I had last night was rather interesting. If someone were to shoot a wolf, it would almost be like shooting their dog's ancestor, since all dogs evolved from wolves. I stand firm with my decision. Wolves, like many other creatures, have a right to this earth.