Wolf Weekly Wrap-up

FWS Director defends Wyoming plan – Last week we reported that the Interior Department and State of Wyoming had reached an agreement in principle on a wolf management plan. This week, newly anointed Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Dan Ashe took the time to elaborate further on his blog. As Ashe points out, the agreement does commit Wyoming to maintaining their wolf population “at or above recovery objectives.” But therein lies the problem. The “recovery objectives” set forth in the delisting rule forced through by Congress in April only requires states to maintain 100 to 150 wolves on the ground in each state—hundreds fewer than exist today in Wyoming. That target number is not backed up by any credible science and is a serious concern for all of us that have worked so hard over the years to restore wolves to the landscape. No other species is managed to such a minimal level, and wolves shouldn’t be managed that way either. Defenders will continue to advocate for a healthy and sustainable wolf population in Wyoming and across the entire region. Stay tuned next week for more details on Wyoming’s proposed plan, which would allow wolves to be shot on sight across most of the state for most of the year.

Check out this reader’s response to the Wyoming wolf plan in the Casper Star-Tribune:

Respect for wilderness and wildlife is a keystone element of the Wyoming character. The plan tentatively agreed to by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar would allow wolves to be shot on sight across most of the state.

If this plan moves forward, the success of wolf recovery in the region would be threatened and future migration of wolves to other parts of their historic range will be effectively blocked.

Please let us insist on a better plan for Wyoming that recognizes human and wildlife concerns yet takes the long view for the benefit of all.

Let us set a higher standard and be an example for countries around the world.

–MEREDYTH COWLING, Wilson

Obama administration takes a stand for wolves – Finally, the Obama administration appears to be taking a stand for America’s wildlife, including wolves. A Statement of Administration Policy released yesterday by the Office of Management and Budget expresses serious concern with a number of provisions included as part of the Interior appropriations bill headed for the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives next week. Its list of “problematic policy issues” includes an amendment introduced by Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) that would bar any legal challenge to final wolf delisting rules in Wyoming and the western Great Lakes.

“Gray Wolves. The Endangered Species Act expressly gives the public the right to challenge listing decisions. Restricting judicial review of any published final rule to delist gray wolves in Wyoming or the Great Lakes region from the Endangered Species Act would deny the public an opportunity to make sure that a future listing decision on gray wolves is based on science.”

ID finalizes hunt next week –  Don’t miss your last chance to weigh in on Idaho’s proposed wolf hunt for the fall. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission meets next week in Salmon to finalize the fall wolf hunting and trapping season with NO QUOTAS in much of the state. Click here to read the proposals.

Points to consider in your comments:

• Wolves play an important role in nature: they reduce disease in elk and deer herds, help disperse herds from overgrazing wetlands and meadows, which in turn helps protect native plants that provide vital habitat for other species like song birds, fish and beaver.
• The state should aim to protect these imperiled animals, not drive them to desperately low numbers.
• No plan should allow for inadequately regulated trapping, snaring or any senseless killing of wolves. Other species could be killed accidentally in improperly set traps and snares.
• Any wolf hunting plan adopted by the state should follow the principles of fair chase ethical hunting.
• And in order to ensure this is the case, any hunt should be delayed until October to avoid killing young pups.
• Poachers should be prosecuted. Wolf protection should be taken seriously and the state must actively prosecute poachers who break the law and senselessly kill wolves.

The commission needs to know that we care about these wolves and want them managed responsibly. Wolves are an important part of Idaho’s history and need to be protected. Since Idaho is an important travel corridor for wolves to connect to other states like Oregon and Washington, we need to do all we can to ensure the state’s wolf population is managed wisely. Send comments to: IdfgInfo@idfg.idaho.gov

IDFG is also soliciting public opinion through an online survey.  Unfortunately, the questions are almost impossible to answer if you support wolf conservation but there is a section for comments, if you wish to submit your feedback on the survey: http://www.idfgsurveys.com/idfg/

Read more about the Idaho wolf hunting plan at Idaho Mountain Express.

Get active for Washington’s wolves — It’s time again to howl out for wolves in Washington state.  A fourth wolf pack has been confirmed near the Alpine Lakes Wilderness only 90 minutes away from Seattle, lending further evidence that Washington state is still wild enough to support a keystone species.

The Washington Wildlife Commission is in the final stages of approving the Washington State Wolf Management Plan. They need to hear from Washington state wolf supporters now!

Training workshop:  On Wednesday July 27^th, join Conservation Northwest at the Burke Museum in Seattle, WA to learn how you can become a Washington wolf advocate. Join a panel of regional wolf experts for a presentation on the status of wolves in the state and information on how WA state citizens can help recover Washington’s wolves.  Starting August 4^th Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife commission will begin taking public comments to finalize of the Washington Wolf Management Plan.

Living with Wolves in Washington State
When: Wednesday July 27^th, 7:00-9:00pm
Where: Burke Museum of Natural History, Seattle WA on UW campus, 17th Ave NE & NE 45th St
Info and RSVP: Kit McGurn, 206.675.9747 x 201, kit@conservationnw.org

One of Nature’s many cogs – Hayden Janssen penned a thought-provoking op-ed over at New West this week that’s worth a read. Janssen is a hunter and a friend of many ranchers, but recognizes the wolf as a vital part of the West nonetheless. Here are a few excerpts:

On the forgotten lessons of wolf recovery in Yellowstone…

Has the benefit of time not afforded humanity the opportunity to realize that meddling in nature, displaying our Roman thumb either up or down for each and every species, only serves to devalue our own existence?

On ranching…

The damages incurred by the ecosystem directly from the flood of cattle and sheep on public lands is far more detrimental to a biotic system than are any single group of predators.

On hunting…

A true hunter recognizes that he or she is a part of nature. And while it is easy to proclaim oneself the apex of nature while holding a rifle, this is not the case. Perhaps the reason that some hunters loathe the wolf so dearly is that when the bullets are gone, the hunter can no longer look down the food chain upon every species below.

On humans and nature…

Humans are merely a cog in the machine of nature. In the absence of an understanding that expresses this fact, we will surely continue to be the cog that destroys the machine, the snake that consumes its own tail, only recognizing the error of our ways once it is too late.