Why were wolves removed from the food web despite their ecological value?

The removal of wolves from the food web is primarily linked to the concerns ranchers had about livestock safety. Ranchers feared that wolves would prey on their animals, leading to significant economic losses. This fear drove widespread efforts to eliminate wolves from certain areas, despite their critical ecological role as apex predators, which help maintain balanced ecosystems by controlling herbivore populations and promoting biodiversity.

The ecological value of wolves includes their influence on prey behavior, which can lead to changes in vegetation and habitat structure, ultimately benefiting numerous other species. However, the perception of wolves as a threat to livestock overshadowed these benefits, resulting in their removal from ecosystems where they once played a vital role.