Friday, December 14, 2007

Reject state?s proposed wolf plan


Kelley Weston is a Hailey resident.

By KELLEY WESTON

The state of Idaho has been committed to removing wolves from the state of Idaho since their reintroduction and the Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan reflects this objective. The document reiterates this official position in the executive summary stating that wolves should be "removed from the state."

It is obvious the authors and by extension the state Department of Fish and Game are not concerned with developing a balanced approach to management. A reading of the document demonstrates that "management" in the eyes of the state is not principally concerned with maintaining wolf populations at " levels that will ensure viable, self-sustaining population," but is simply about reducing the numbers of wolves. It is a narrowly focused document that ignores the demonstrated benefits of wolves to the Northern Rockies ecosystems in order to satisfy the wishes of a very small group of ranchers and vocal wolf opponents.

The stated purpose of the Wolf Conservation and Management Plan is to mitigate human-wolf conflict and ensure "that landowners, land managers, other citizens and their property are protected." The truth is that those opposed to wolves and the Wolf Conservation and Management Plan consistently exaggerate the severity of the human-wolf conflict to justify removing wolves and make removal official state policy. While there is a lengthy discussion of wolf biology and its impacts on game and livestock, Fish and Game's own statistics proving that wolves have had very little negative impact on the numbers of elk and deer taken are never mentioned.

These statistics clearly show that game populations fluctuate year to year but that the harvest of elk and deer has remained relatively constant since the reintroduction of wolves despite the rapid growth in the wolf population. In fact, the harvest of elk in 2005 of 54,050 animals is greater than the 45,600 animals taken in 1993 before introduction of wolves. The same is true for deer. There is no question that wolves kill elk, deer, moose, even an occasional mountain lion, but it is not true that this natural behavior is negatively impacting big game, the hunters that depend on it, or the hunting economy of the state of Idaho.

This distortion of reality is even greater when it comes to livestock. Here, their own figures, found on page 16 of the report, tell a story of minimal impacts. Between 1995 and 2001, there were only 176 confirmed kills of sheep and 35 of cattle. Other probable losses account for 33 more. This in a total population of almost 2 million cattle and 300,000 sheep in the state of Idaho as reported by the 2002 agricultural census. The report goes to great pains to point out that other reported losses may be the result of wolves and discusses other stresses but offers no actual evidence.

They admit that conflict with wolves occurs in a very limited area with only a handful of producers. Furthermore, between 1995 and 2001 Defenders of Wildlife paid $57,300 to compensate ranchers for their "property" losses. With sales of cattle of over $113 million, a $57,000 loss, even a $150,000 loss, while significant to individual producers, does not represent a serious economic problem and in no way justifies the removal of large numbers of wolves.

Management of wildlife is about more than managing numbers of animals. A balanced management plan would reflect the views of all citizens, not just wolf opponents. It would discuss the many benefits wolves have to the health of their native habitat and the other animals and birds that live there. Studies document dramatic recovery of riparian vegetation and aspen regeneration in Yellowstone for the first time in 80 years as wintering elk are forced out of sensitive vegetation due to wolf pressure. Recovering vegetation provides enhanced habitat for bird species and other small animals and fish.

Other studies demonstrate a measurable economic benefit in the Yellowstone area as tourists come solely to view wolves. Similar benefits are almost certainly occurring in Idaho and would increase if populations of wolves were allowed to grow and viewing opportunities increased. A balanced management plan would entertain and seriously discuss the benefits of no action or even of allowing populations of wolves to increase. No mention of this or of the positive benefits of wolves to ecosystem health or the economy is mentioned in the report.

If approved, the state plan gives the state the legal right to dramatically reduce populations of wolves and there is every reason to think that they will, despite the fact that there is absolutely no significant reason, economic or otherwise, to do so. This is purely a political document reflecting the views of narrow special interests with no scientific justification. There are many other ways to manage human-wolf conflict that do not necessitate the extermination of this iconic and ecologically critical predator.

It is time for wildlife managers and politicians to leave their archaic 19th century prejudices behind and "manage" for the realities of the 21st century. This is a world where wildlife of all kinds and the habitat they need is increasingly rare and in decline worldwide and where dramatic climate change threatens even this precious remnant. We need to reduce our human impact dramatically on threatened habitat and critical species, including wolves, and do whatever we can to ensure intact ecosystems with all their members are protected. Exterminating wolves is absolutely contrary to this goal. We should reject the Wolf Conservation and Management Plan as it is currently written and insist on a balanced document that protects wolves and reflects the views of all Idaho citizens, not just those that wish to see wolves removed.




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