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Wolf News - April 2018

GRIZZLY HUNT STILL ON AFTER FEDERAL REVIEW

April 30th, Wyoming: Neither the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, nor the Department of the Interior intends to revoke last year’s decision to delist the Yellowstone grizzly bear from Endangered Species Act protection.

As a result, Wyoming has been developing rules and regulations for a controversial fall hunt of grizzlies within Yellowstone National Park.

BABY WILDLIFE: WHEN TO HELP AND WHEN TO LEAVE THEM ALONE

April 30th: Sometimes baby wildlife need our help, but often, the best thing we can do is to leave them alone.  Know the difference...

WOLVES AND WOLFDOGS ARE NOT DOGS AND WE SHOULDN'T WANT THEM TO BE

April 27th: Given their common evolutionary past, dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and wolves (Canis lupus) share many physical and behavioral traits and are interfertile, meaning they can mate and reproduce. But just because they share similar traits, it doesn’t mean that you can keep a wolf or wolfdog like a dog. A successful relationship with a wolf or wolfdog means you must build your life around them. You must bend and change to build a cooperative life with your wolfdog. Not many people are able or willing to do that.

US WON'T RESTORE YELLOWSTONE GRIZZLY BEAR PROTECTIONS

April 27th, Yellowstone: Conservation groups and Native American Indian tribes have challenged the lifting of protections for grizzly bears in federal court. They argue that killing grizzly bears would diminish the chances of Yellowstone's bears re-populating other areas where grizzlies once roamed.

They still occupy less than 5 percent of their historical range and legal hunting of Yellowstone-area grizzlies last occurred in the 1970s.

1.3 MILLION NATIVE ANIMALS KILLED

April 26th, U.S: Using taxpayer dollars, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agency with the misleading name of Wildlife Services, killed more than 1.3 million native animals during 2017.

The multi-million-dollar federal wildlife-killing program targets bobcats, birds, coyotes, cougars, wolves and other wild animals for destruction – primarily to benefit the agriculture industry – but funded by the taxpayer.

THE EFFORT TO SAVE RED WOLVES IN THE WILD IS FAILING, A FIVE YEAR REVIEW SAYS

April 25th, North Carolina: A colony of red wolves that was reintroduced in North Carolina in 1987 is failing because of poor management and fierce state opposition from game officials and hunters who are killing it, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife.

After an experimental population was released at the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, the group managed to reach an estimated 130 wolves in 2006. The number currently stands at about 40 wolves.

WOLVES ON A PLANE: HOW A EUREKA SANCTUARY PULLED OFF REWILDING 4 CRITICALLY ENDANGERED PUPS

April 25th, Eureka: The Mexican wolf was just recently saved from the brink of extinction, largely through the work of the Endangered Wolf Center. In the last 40 years, the wolves have gone from just seven to about 150 currently in the wild. Now, on a plane, four of these critically endangered wolf puppies sat piled in a carrier at the feet of a conservationist, on their way from St Louis to Arizona.

The conservationist is on a mission, along with a team of others, to bring the tiny wolves to two wild packs in Arizona that might raise them along with their own.

TWO ENDANGERED WOLVES GIVE BIRTH AT THE WOLF CONSERVATION CENTER

April 25th, New York: Two endangered red wolves have given birth at the Wolf Conservation Center in North Salem. The Wolf Conservation Center is part of a program working to support the reestablishment of red wolves in the wild through captive breeding.

OSU KBREC TO HOST WOLF AND LIVESTOCK INTERACTION SEMINAR MAY 2

April 24th, Oregon: The community is invited to attend a wolf and livestock interaction seminar on May 2, 2018 at the Klamath County Fairgrounds.

The seminar will focus on the status of wolves in Klamath County, policies regarding wolf management, how wolves may affect livestock production, and strategies that can be used to minimize the risk that wolves present to livestock production.

WHAT CAN WOLF PACKS TEACH US ABOUT BEING BETTER HUMANS?

April 23rd: While wolves have been reintroduced successfully in several parts of the United States, ranchers and some hunters still shoot them as soon as they set foot outside park boundaries or near cattle raised for human consumption.

Jim and Jamie Dutcher lived alongside a pack of wolves for six years in the wilds of Idaho and commemorated the experience in their book, "The Wisdom of Wolves: Lessons from the Sawtooth Pack." The Dutchers write in their book, "As it happens, many of the qualities that make a wolf successful at being a wolf also represent the best in human nature."

FEWER HUNTERS STRETCH WASHINGTON'S ALREADY TIGHT WILDLIFE BUDGET

April 22nd, Washington: Only 5 percent of Americans 16 years and older hunt, according to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study published in 2017. Fifty years ago, 10 percent of Americans 16 years and older hunted.

Between 2006 and 2016, total hunter participation fell by 8 percent, although angling participation grew by 19 percent. Meanwhile, wildlife watching grew by 21 percent.

WITH FEWER THAN 300 RED WOLVES ALIVE TODAY, THREE RARE PUPS BORN AT N.C. MUSEUM

April 22nd, North Carolina: Fewer than 300 red wolves are alive today. A female at the Durham Museum of Life and Science gave birth to a litter of pups on April 21.“We’re excited to welcome these new additions to this critically endangered population," the museum wrote.

CONGRESSMAN'S EFFORT TO DE-LIST WOLVES STUCK IN CONGRESS

April 20th, Minnesota: U.S. Rep. Collin Pet erson says he has the votes on the House floor to pass a bill removing federal protection for gray wolves across the Great Lakes region.He just can't get the bill to the floor....

Wolves remain under a December 2014 court order keeping them federally protected across the region.

BUNDESTAG COMMITTEE DEBATES WOLVES' PROTECTED STATUS IN GERMANY

April 19th, Germany: Wolves returned to Germany in 2000, having previously been hunted to extinction in the country, and have rapidly increased their numbers in the 18 years since. Their return, however, has led to problems with farmers and concerns that their numbers could go unchecked without intervention.

NATURE NEWS: SHARING THE LANDSCAPE WITH COYOTES

April 19th, California: One critter commonly found on the landscape is the coyote. An iconic symbol of the Southwest, it is an animal that has been feared, vilified and persecuted for more than a hundred years.

Though they continue to battle a negative public image, coyotes have learned to adapt and thrive on a changing landscape. And as humans find themselves living in a closer vicinity to them, we are learning just how beneficial they are to the ecosystem.

TRIBAL LANDS OFFER SANCTUARY FOR MINNESOTA WOLVES

April 17th, Minnesota: Gray wolves could again be fair game in Minnesota if federal rules change, but Red Lake Nation and other tribes in Minnesota will continue to protect the animal.

In 2012, the Tribal Executive Committee, the governing body of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribes, passed a resolution that gave authority to each of the reservation governing bodies over the regulation of natural resources within their reservation boundaries.

That resolution led to White Earth also declaring their land a sanctuary for wolves and others not allowing wolves to be hunted on tribal lands.

FISH AND WILDLIFE ASKING COUNTY INPUT ON NEW WOLF PROTECTION METHODS

April 17th, Washington: There are 122 wolves across Washington that make up 22 different packs. But even though numbers are still low, wolves are still being poached for encroaching on livestock.

In 2013, Washington Fish and Wildlife began tracking wolf populations in the state with radioed collars that can pinpoint to a specific location within a few feet. However, this information has, in some instances, has been leaked to the public. This presents a problem…..

WHAT WE HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE VILIFIED GRAY WOLF

April 16, Wyoming: American Wolf, Nate Blakeslee’s second nonfiction book, is an engrossing, cinematic account of the life of O-Six, a radio-collared female, beloved by Yellowstone Park wolf-watchers.

O-Six was shot in Wyoming’s first legal hunt after the federal government lifted Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the state.  Her killing raised an outcry from around the country

SPECIES IN CONFLICT: MINNESOTA WOLF MANAGEMENT FOLLOWS BUMPY PATH ON ROAD TO RECOVERY

April 15th, Minnesota: Love them or hate them, few animals evoke stronger emotions than the gray wolf.

In the past twenty years, Minnesota wolf management, has come full circle; from federally protected to managed by the state, back to federally protected, with a tumultuous series of twists and turns along the way…..

2 MEXICAN WOLVES FOUND DEAD IN NEW MEXICO

April 13th, New Mexico: Federal wildlife managers say two endangered Mexican gray wolves have died, bringing the total of dead in the last few months to four.

Efforts to reintroduce the endangered wolves in Arizona and New Mexico have been ongoing for two decades.

WOLVES CONTINUE COMEBACK IN OREGON AFTER ERADICATION

April 13th, Oregon: Biologists in Oregon counted 124 wolves in their annual tally, an 11 percent increase over last year’s numbers.

Wolf advocates, however, blasted the report by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and said the report exaggerates the success of wolf recovery in Oregon.

WOULD WE ALL BE BETTER OFF LIVING WITH WOLVES?

April 11th, Spain: A Spanish man apparently raised by wolves says since leaving the pack he has been disappointed by humans. Have others reportedly reared by animals felt the same?

OREGON RANCHER APPROVED TO KILL 2 WOLVES; ADVOCATES ALARMED

April 10, Oregon: Wildlife officials will allow a cattle rancher in remote northeastern Oregon to kill any two wolves — including a pregnant one — from a new pack that's been attacking calves.

Wolf advocates blasted the decision and called it cruel to single out the pack when the breeding female was pregnant.

AUTHOR NATE BLAKESLEE TO APPEAR AT SEDONA WOLF WEEK

April 9th, Sedona: The organizers of Sedona Wolf Week (SWW) have announced that award winning author Nate Blakeslee will be one of the speakers at this year’s event. Back for it’s second year, April 17th - 21st, SWW is a joint project of Plan B to Save Wolves and Apex Protection Project.

WOLF CONSERVATION TALK

April 7th, Colorado: There will be a presentation in Buena Vista, Colorado led by Ryan Wilbur of Defenders of Wildlife April 11, from 7-8:30 p.m., at the Buena Vista Community Center, 715 E Main St. It is the story of the past, present and future of Colorado’s now extinct native wolf population. Register online at here as space is limited.

GRAY WOLVES WELCOMED TO OAKLAND ZOO'S UPCOMING CALIFORNIA TRAIL EXPANSION

April 6th, Oakland, California: With the arrival of Sequoia and Siskiyou, the Zoo and CSC are working to engage the public’s support for the safe return of their wild counterparts to our state. By sharing the whole story of wild wolf recovery, including that of ranchers living with this predator, opportunities are created for people in taking action for wolves – such as buying ‘predator friendly beef’.

PRECAUTION URGED AFTER WOLF SIGHTING IN PENDER

April 6th, British Columbia: Dog walkers and hikers are being advised to take precautions when hiking on the Sunshine Coast after a recent wolf encounter near the power lines at Pender Harbour.

Four wolves approached a woman with two unleashed dogs while they were hiking above the power lines. The wolves advanced and retreated until the woman was able to get back to her truck. The dogs were not injured. And while the wolves did act aggressively, they did not exhibit signs of predatory behavior.

TAKE ACTION!

KILLING OF 10 DENALI WOLVES SPARKS DEBATE OVER INCREASING PROTECTIONS FOR THE ANIMAL

April 5th, Alaska: Biologist and wildlife advocate Rick Steiner says the mass killing of wolves and other predators has no place in modern Alaska.

“I think the majority of Alaskans will find this sort of thing reprehensible,” Steiner said. “But, at the very least, it shouldn’t be permitted anywhere near Denali National Park.”

AZGFD MARKS 20 YEARS SINCE MEXICAN WOLF RELEASE
April 4th, Arizona: On March 29, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gave recognition to two decades of conservation efforts for the Mexican gray wolf in the wild.

OLYMPICS PROVIDE SUITABLE REINTRODUCTION SITE FOR GRAY WOLVES, STUDY FINDS

April 4th, Washington: Aside from werewolves in the fictional “Twilight” series set near Forks, actual gray wolves haven’t inhabited Olympic National Park for almost a century. But a recent study found that the Olympics could be a suitable place to reintroduce the species.

FRANCE'S WOLVES ARE BACK. NOW, CAN IT PROTECT ITS FARMERS?
April 4th, France: Wolves' numbers are growing across France. But they are taking their toll on the livelihoods of French farmers, who cannot kill the protected animals nor receive reimbursement for major losses the wolves cause to their livestock.

DENALI WOLF BUFFER BILL LIKELY TO STALL IN SENATE

April 4th, FAIRBANKS: Despite getting one committee hearing last month, a bill that would ban wolf hunting on a section of state land near Denali National Park remains unlikely to advance in the Senate, according to the bill’s sponsor.

Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage, sponsored House Bill 105, which seeks to re-establish a buffer zone to protect wolves near Denali National Park from hunters and trappers. However, Josephson feels that there is little chance that this bill will make it through the senate

ALASKA AUTHORITIES: NOTHING ILLEGAL ABOUT KILLING OF 10 WOLVES

April 3rd, FAIRBANKS: Photographs being distributed to news media and circulated on social media showing a man with the carcasses of 10 wolves, he reportedly killed, don't show anything illegal, according to Alaska Wildlife Troopers.

According to Rick Steiner, a leading and longtime opponent of wolf hunting in the area adjacent to the Denali National National Park and Preserve, the state first told us they knew nothing whatsoever about this incident, then just today, they admitted that indeed they've known about it since February,"

ASSAULT RIFLE SLAUGHTER OF DENALI WOLVES

April 3rd, Washington, DC: The State of Alaska is scrambling to shut down hunting and trapping adjacent to Denali National Park over concerns that excessive kills may destabilize this iconic wolf population. Photos posted today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) show a man armed with an AR15 semiautomatic rifle displaying ten wolf carcasses outside Denali. TAKE ACTION!

GOVERNMENT'S WOLF RECOVERY PLAN INSUFFICIENT

April 2nd, Arizona: A federal judge in Arizona ruled wildlife managers have not done enough to protect a subspecies of wolf endemic to the American Southwest.

The Mexican Gray Wolf is nearly extinct in the United States, pushed to the brink by mostly hunters and livestock owners.  Conservationists touted the ruling as a major victory.

WYOMING IS WAGING WAR ON WOLVES

April 2nd, Wyoming: The Cowboy State’s scorched earth campaign threatens wolf recovery. In Wyoming, wolf hunting is now legit—365 days a year across 85 percent of the state, where wolves are classified as shoot-on-sight vermin.

ALASKA CLOSES WOLF HUNTING SEASON ALONG STAMPEDE TRAIL

April 2nd, Alaska: Alaska state biologists have issued an emergency order closing the wolf hunting and trapping season on state land along the Stampede Trail.

The area has been the site of a years-long political and public policy battle about the killing of wolves that roam on state and federal land