During the last week in February, the remaining five members of the Buffalo Ridge wolf pack were shot from a U.S. Wildlife Services helicopter. Since December, the entire family of eight wolves of this well-known central Idaho pack have been killed, accused of attacking calves born in the well-known wolf habitat.
The Buffalo Ridge wolves were executed because a rancher refused to take pro-active measures to haze the wolves away from his calving operation, which started in December, during frigid temperatures and snowy weather. Instead, he requested the slaughter of what he considered a nuisance and relied on taxpayer dollars to cover the expenses.
I wrote to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and requested a report of the costs of this recent operation. I promptly received the following information from Todd K. Grimm, Western District supervisor, of USDA Wildlife Services in Boise.
Since December 2007, the cost of "controlling" the Buffalo Ridge pack—$8,234; leased helicopter and pilot—$750/hour x 3.5 hours = $2,625; leased fixed-wing aircraft—$95/hour x 25 hours = $2,375; Wildlife Services staff time minimum—$ 38.50/hour x 84 hours = $3,234.
Mr. Grimm also stated, "Fortunately, most of our wolves never come into contact with livestock and, therefore, do not pose a depredation risk." And yet, in 2007, Fish and Game killed 47 wolves per their records online, 33 in 2006 and 20 in 2005. At approximately $1,029.25 per wolf x 100 wolves, that's $102,925.
These actions of Wildlife Services and Fish and Game are robbing not only ours, but future generations, of our tax dollars, and of the opportunity to watch and hear wolves.
How many of these wolves could have been spared had the wildlife management agencies worked harder with the ranchers?
Gloria Carlton
Hailey
