Wolf Weekly Wrap-up

Don’t tamper with the ESA: First the New York Times and now the LA Times have printed spot-on editorials explaining what’s at stake with pending wolf delisting legislation:

“Despite the many disagreements about the Endangered Species Act since it was passed in 1973, Congress has never directly taken over the job of determining which endangered animals should live or die. To do so now would be to set a precedent for allowing narrow political interests to override compelling national environmental interests.”

If only more Western lawmakers could see the value of all wildlife. (Read the full editorial in the LA Times.)

Despite the many disagreements about the Endangered Species Act since it was passed in 1973, Congress has never directly taken over the job of determining which endangered animals should live or die. To do so now would be to set a precedent for allowing narrow political interests to override compelling national environmental interests.

Lawlessness in Idaho: After losing his bid for the Governor’s seat this year in Idaho, Rex Rammell has made a new name for himself by trying to incite the illegal killing of a protected species (Read the story from the Idaho Statesman). On Wednesday, he encouraged a crowd of about 100 people to organize hunting parties to eliminate wolves from Idaho County. This comes just weeks after Rammell was caught poaching an elk near Idaho Falls.

A massive bull elk stands it ground in Yellowstone National Park.

Where wolves in Washington: There are two confirmed packs in Washington, and the state is moving forward with plans to accommodate more wolves in the future. But not everyone agrees how many more, or where they should go. Initial plans include making room for 15 breeding pairs and possibly translocating animals to ideal wolf habitat on the Olympic Peninsula and other coastal areas—an idea that’s already making some people nervous. Washington’s Department of Fish and Game is currently reviewing the 65,000 comments they received on the initial draft of the plan. The next draft is expected sometime this Spring with a final version due to be approved by the state Fish and Game Commission next December. (Read a comprehensive summary of Washington’s wolf plans in the Seattle Times.)

Compromise and coexistence in Oregon: Concordia University Professor Ceiridwen Terrill traveled to Bend this month for a meeting of the Cattlemen’s Association to learn how livestock and wolves can coexist. She highlights a few innovate techniques like feeding animals at night to keep them huddled close together–there is safety in numbers!—and quickly removing carcasses that attract wild animals. She says contributions from wildlife supporters can help provide ranchers the extra financial incentive they need to implement proactive, nonlethal measures to prevent conflict instead of killing “problem wolves” after the fact. (Read the story at OregonLive.com)

A plea for humility: Don’t miss Hayden Janssen’s guest column in today’s Missoulian, laying out the facts about wolf recovery and pleading for humility: “We need wolves, if for no other reason than to express that we are capable of arresting our species’ downward spiral. We, as humans, need to be able to display our ability to coexist with other members of nature in a manner that does not require us to destroy that which we cannot completely control.”

We need wolves, if for no other reason than to express that we are capable of arresting our species’ downward spiral. We, as humans, need to be able to display our ability to coexist with other members of nature in a manner that does not require us to destroy that which we cannot completely control.

Cries for ethical hunting: Wolves are not the only ones taking down elk in Montana’s backcountry. As Bob Love, a hunter from Columbia Falls, points out in this letter to the editor, wolves were here first and coexisted with their prey for thousands of years before European settlers arrived and wiped them out. NRDC’s Matt Skoglund, a wolf expert and colleague in Montana, explains in a blog post why the culture of “slob hunting” is a more serious problem for game species than wolf predation.