Final answer:
Colonists sought to catch wolves to protect livestock essential for survival and to support the fur trade. Lack of food led colonists to resort to extreme measures for sustenance. Establishing secure settlements also motivated wildlife management.
Step-by-step explanation:
The colonists wanted to catch wolves primarily to protect their livestock and way of life. Wolves posed a significant threat to the survival of the colonists, whose livestock was indispensable for both food and trade. In periods of scarcity and hardship, the colonists faced dire food shortages, resorting to eating anything they could, including cats, dogs, and even resorting to cannibalism; thus, ensuring the safety of their livestock from predators like wolves was crucial for their survival.
Besides the economic reasons, there were also pressing security concerns: protecting permanent settlements was essential to safeguard the colonies from native conflicts and European piracy. Therefore, managing wildlife, including predatory wolves, was an essential aspect of colonial settlement life.