Wolf populations in Alaska are separated by thousands of miles from wolf populations in the northern Great Lakes of the lower 48 states. Wolves in both populations look similar and have similar behaviors. However, the U.S. government has treated these two populations quite differently, listing the Great Lakes populations as endangered until recently but allowing hunting of wolves in Alaska. Some opponents of wolf protection have argued that the “wolf” should not be considered endangered at all in the United States because of the large population in Alaska, while supporters of wolf protection state that the Great Lakes population represents a unique population that deserves special status. Should these two populations be considered different races or species?

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