Final answer:
Human hunting is identified as a major factor that contributed to the decline of wolves. Archaeological evidence from the study of megafauna extinctions supports this, showing a correlation between the arrival of humans and the decline in these species, making hunting more impactful than habitat loss or disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
Wolves, like the woolly mammoths, faced extinction due to a combination of factors, but if we look closely at the historical context, over-hunting by humans stands out as a significant contributor to their decline. In the study of extinction events, such as that of the woolly mammoth, it is clear that no single factor can be solely responsible. Instead, it is the interplay of climate change, habitat loss, and human activities like hunting that have led to such outcomes. Historical records and archaeological evidence show that for mammoths, humans extensively hunted these animals, and studies have indicated a clear correlation between the arrival of human hunters and megafauna extinctions. Just like the mammoths, wolves were also heavily hunted, leading to their decline. While habitat loss played a role, it was primarily the human-driven factor of hunting that reduced their numbers so drastically about a century ago, making it a significant cause of their extinction.