Killing wolves has consequences, not just for the animals but also for a majority of Americans and wildlife watchers who would rather enjoy the beauty of a living wolf than a dead trophy on the wall. Photo by Alamy

The disturbing trophy killing of an iconic wolf from Yellowstone National Park is a grim reminder that American carnivores are under serious threat, with the states they live in doing precious little to protect them and the U.S. House voting just this month to strip protections for them under the Endangered Species Act.

Spitfire, the Black Female, or simply 926F, was descended from the first group of wolves reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park from Alberta, Canada, 23 years ago. Her mother, “the most famous wolf in the world,” was a founding member and alpha female of the Lamar Canyon pack so popular among wolf-watchers, until she was…