Wolf Weekly Wrap-up

(Sorry for the short post this week. It’s been a very busy couple days in the wolf world…)

Wolf settlement reached in Northern Rockies – Defenders and nine other conservation groups reached a settlement agreement with the Interior Department regarding wolf recovery and management in the Northern Rockies. The settlement was filed for approval with a U.S. Federal District Court in Montana. (read the full press release here)

Though not a perfect solution, this settlement allows wolf delisting in the two states with approved wolf management plans (Montana and Idaho) to move forward, while retaining protections for the most vulnerable wolves in the Northern Rockies. The settlement also offers a workable solution to the increasingly polarized debate over wolves without resorting to legislation that would be bad for wolves, the ESA and countless other species.

This agreement adopts a scientific approach – including monitoring of the status of wolves and independent scientific review – to ensure that states maintain healthy wolf populations. If approved, it will be up to the states to hold up their end of the bargain and manage wolves responsibly and sustainably as they do for other wildlife.

Great wolf videos – Ralph Maughan, a professor of political science at Idaho State University, took some time to explain the nature of the ongoing wolf debate in the Northern Rockies. In his view, wolves have been a pivotal issue because they bring out core social values about life in the West. This video explains the tactics used by anti-wolf extremists to stir up even more controversy.

Our very own Rocky Mountain Director Mike Leahy also appeared on Aljazeera recently in a story about wolves in and around Yellowstone. Jump to the 2-minute mark to hear him explain why conservation groups are still fighting to protect wolves.