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Wolf News - May 2019
REWARD OFFERED IN KILLING OF WOLF
May 31st, Washington: Conservation Northwest says a female wolf was illegally killed last weekend near the territory of the Dirty Shirt wolf pack.Through an agreement with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Conservation Northwest offers standing rewards for those who provide information that leads to a poaching conviction.
GENOMICS OF ISLE ROYALE WOLVES REVEAL IMPACTS OF INBREEDING
May 29th: A new study,which will be published in Science Advances next week, dives into the inbreeding depression within the Isle Royale wolf population caused by homozygosity. This new study, including whole-genome analysis of wolves from Isle Royale, directly links specific candidate genes with spinal abnormalities.This condition became more prevalent as decades progressed and inbreeding became more severe," said Rolf Peterson, research scientist in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan Technological University.
COYOTE PUP SEASON IN CHICAGO MEANS THE URBAN PREDATORS ARE OUT AND ABOUT.
May 29th: While it’s perfectly safe to observe and appreciate urban coyotes from a safe distance, according to Chris Anchor, senior wildlife biologist at the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. Anchor stressed two key warnings for readers.
RED WOLF AT DURHAM MUSEUM TURNS CAMERA INTO LUNCH
May 29th: One of the red wolf yearling brothers at the Museum of Life and Science took a big bite out of the camera in the red wolf den. The wolf did not actually ingest the camera, the museum said. It simply tore it down.
POLL: MAJORITY OF AMERICANS OPPOSE TRUMP PLAN TO END WOLF PROTECTIONS
May 28th: The majority of responders, 63 percent, oppose Trump’s plan to allow more wolves to be trapped and poisoned and 61 percent think wolves are an important part of America’s natural heritage. Just 29 percent support Trump’s proposal to remove federal wolf protections. “With such widespread public support for wolves, the Trump administration should scrap its wrong-headed plan to remove these critical protections,” said Stephanie Kurose, an endangered species policy specialist at the Center for Biological Diversity.
ENDANGERED MEXICAN WOLVES BLAMED FOR MORE LIVESTOCK DEATHS
May 27th, New Mexico: While ranchers see the reintroduction program of the Mexican gray wolf as a threat to a livelihood already complicated by drought and rising costs, environmentalists contend more can be done to discourage wolves from targeting livestock.
May 26th: The Japanese wolf (or the Honshu wolf; Canis lupus hodophilax) is said to have become extinct over a century ago, gradually killed off as Japan marched toward industrialization in the late 19th century. However, numerous accounts of sightings, reports of howling and discoveries of purported wolf droppings, bones and fur have prompted some to argue that the nihon ōkami (as the Japanese wolf is known in Japanese) — is still alive and waiting to be rediscovered.
FEDS FILE APPEAL TO DELIST YELLOWSTONE-AREA GRIZZLIES
May 24th, Montana: Former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke stripped federal protections for Yellowstone grizzly bears in 2017, but a federal judge in Missoula returned the grizzlies to the endangered species list in the fall of 2018. The Interior Department filed an intent to appeal in December and will take the case to the Ninth Circuit. This is the second time the Ninth Circuit is taking up the government’s attempt to delist Yellowstone grizzlies.
PACKS OF WOLF-DOGS COULD WIPE OUT WOLVES IN EUROPE, SCIENTISTS WARN
May 23rd, Europe: Wolf-dog packs are increasingly common in Europe and scientists and policy makers remain divided over how to deal with the problem of hybrids and free-roaming dogs. Some researchers advocate keeping feral dogs and wolf-dogs in captivity. Others suggest sterilization is the best solution.
ILLEGAL KILLINGS, POLITICAL OPPOSITION HOBBLE WOLF RECOVERY
May 23rd: The number of red wolves roaming the forests of North Carolina has plunged to fewer than three dozen in recent years — the most precarious position of any U.S. wolf species. With no changes to current management, the wild population of red wolves likely will be lost within the next decade.
RELOCATING AND DELISTING WOLVES IS UNDER CONSIDERATION
May 23rd, Washington: Region 1 Director of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (DWFW) Steve Pozzanghera,said "wolves are moving in from the Northern Rocky Mountain ecosystem, as well as from Canada, and across the state’s shared border with Oregon. We are not moving wolves,” Pozzanghera said. “This is based on natural dispersal.”
UNEXPECTED VISITORS HAVE BEEN FLYING IN TO BE NEAR OAKLAND ZOO'S WOLVES
May 22nd, California: "Ravens and wolves go together and that goes very far back in history," said Colleen Kinzley, the zoo's director of animal care, conservation and research. Native Americans told stories about ravens leading wolves to carrion, so they too could feast on the opened carcass. Something similar is happening at the California Trail exhibit.
A LOOK BACK: IN 1995, WOLVES RETURNED TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
May 22nd: On March 22, 1995, after years of legal battles and logistical preparation, the gates of acclimation pens in Yellowstone National Park were opened and wolves — captured in Canada and transported to the United States — were once again part of the natural environment of northwest Wyoming.
DEPARTMENT REPORTS WOLF DEPREDATIONS ON RISE IN GILA NATIONAL FOREST
May 22nd, New Mexico: During the month of April, there were 37 confirmed wolf depredation incidents on livestock. Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity understands ranchers’ concerns but blames the depredations on U.S. Fish and Wildlife policy. “The government has required nothing from livestock owners to prevent such predations. Some owners do take measures, but many do not."
ARE WOLVES FISH FRIENDS OR FOES?
May 20th, Great Lakes: Yellowstone National Park studies show fish populations are rising there since the gray wolf population boomed. The predators cause ungulates to change their grazing habits, due to fear. That provides more cover over the water which affects multiple factors for the fish. Apex predators like wolves could affect northern Michigan white-tailed deer and elk behavior and the entire ecosystem.
WOLF PLAN VOTE SET FOR EARLY JUNE
May 20th, Oregon: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commissioners will vote June 7th on proposed updates to the state's wolf plan. A hot topic surrounding the plan review is hunting wolves. Wolf hunts would be considered if and when wolves were determined to be a major cause of the decline in deer and elk populations.
ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY 2019: MAP SHOWS THREATENED ANIMALS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA
May 17th: For Endangered Species Day on May 17, Esri Canada put together an interactive based on information from the Endangered Species Coalition to show where some of these animal species live in North America -- from the grey wolf, to the humpbacked whale, to the spotted owl.
COYOTE-KILLING CONTESTS FACE GROWING OUTRAGE, STATE BANS
May 17th: The killing competitions are held in at least 45 states, said Jill Fritz, director of wildlife protection for the Humane Society of the United States, which for two years has worked with the California-based advocacy group Project Coyote to lead a push against the events. Animal activist groups’ opposition to the events has been buoyed by support from some state wildlife officials and wildlife management scientists.
OREGON GOVERNOR REVERSES STATE'S POSITION ON WOLF DELISTING
May 16th: Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has now sent a letter to Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who oversees the Fish and Wildlife Service, to “clarify and correct” ODFW’s position by opposing the delisting of wolves throughout the United States. It’s likely that Brown’s thinking was swayed by the outcry from wolf advocates, who recently held a rally against delisting.
CELEBRATE ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY ON MAY 17TH, 2019
May 16th: Endangered Species Day is an opportunity for people of all ages to learn about the importance of protecting endangered species and everyday actions they can take to help protect them. Check back often to learn more about the 13th annual Endangered Species Day on May 17, 2019.
May 15th, Oregon: U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) says the "fragile recovery" of the gray wolf is endangered by the proposed delisting. He says a weakened state wolf plan without a backstop of federal protection is a "true death sentence for gray wolves in Oregon and across the country." He accuses Governor Brown and ODFW of "[throwing] an incredibly important predator species under the bus in favor of a few private interests."
900,000 ALREADY OPPOSE TRUMP PLAN TO END WOLF PROTECTIONS - Delivery Marks Most Comments in Endangered Species Act History
“With nearly a million comments submitted and more to come, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service can’t deny the broad public support for continuing wolf protections,” said Collette Adkins, Carnivore Conservation Director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We’ll show up in force at any public hearings and demand that the Trump administration scrap its disastrous wolf-delisting proposal.”
AGENCY PONDERS WOLF RELOCATION PLAN
May 14th, Washington: Steve Pozzanghera, Director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's Eastern Region, said the agency is gearing up to do a periodic status review of gray wolves that may lead to a recommendation that the animals be reclassified under state law. Pozzanghera also said the agency is looking at the possibility of moving wolves from the eastern half of the state to the vast Southern Cascades and Northwest Coast Recovery Zone, where there are currently no documented packs that have reproduced — known as breeding pairs.
UN: NEW EXTINCTION REPORT DIRE
May 13th: Globally, mankind will determine the fate of one million species (of eight million on the planet), according to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. “The health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever. We are eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide,” wrote Sir Robert Watson of Great Britain, chair of the U.N. group with 145 experts from 50 nations.
PROPOSAL PERIOD ON REMOVAL OF GRAY WOLD FROM ENDANGERED LIST EXTENDED
May 13th: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a proposal to remove the gray wolf from the list on March 15th and announced a 60-day public comment period ending on May 14th. The public comment period has been extended another 60 days to allow all interested parties to comment of the proposal until July 15th.
BUCHANAN HONORED BY U.S. HUMANE SOCIETY
May 12th, Florida: Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-Longboat Key) co-chair of the Animal Protection Caucus, received an "A” rating from the Humane Society for his leadership and votes in 2018. He recently opposed the Interior Department’s announcement that it would move to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species protection. His strong record of defending animals also includes opposing weaker protections for the Florida manatee and panther, as well as urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to restore a database of animal cruelty information that the department removed suddenly and without notice.
THE 'ROCK STAR' WOLF OF JUAN DE FUCA
May 12th, British Columbia: Staqeya, a wolf, swims between the islands within sight of Victoria, feeding mostly on seals and occasionally keeping vigil on the rocks, to the delight of people on passing boats. Residents of the B.C. capital say they sometimes hear him howling in the night.
WATCH THESE NAT GEO WOLVES EXPERIENCING THE 'BEST, AND POSSIBLY LAST, DAYS OF THEIR LIVES'
May 9th: Join the "Journey to the Arctic" with National Geographic Explorer Ronan Donovan to witness a gorgeous and desolate world where wolves hunt, howl and raise their families. As we embed with the pack, experience unprecedented intimacy with a species steeped in legend, rumor and fear.
AMAZING FACTS: INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT WOLVES
May 9th: Known as highly intelligent pack animals, wolves have been widely misunderstood through the millennia as wild and deadly beasts. They are the creatures of myth and folklore, often to their detriment. The truth is that wolves are extremely social animals that develop very close social bonds with family members and their pack. In fact, wolves observed in the wild often illustrate significant displays of affection and other emotions with each other.
MORE THAN 100 SCIENTISTS OPPOSE REMOVING FEDERAL PROTECTIONS FOR GRAY WOLVES
May 7th: A letter from 100 scientists to Interior Secretary David Bernhardt explains that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal “does not represent the best-available science pertaining to wolf conservation. Delisting wolves at this time would be an inappropriate shortcut … Such intervention can seem like an expedited solution, but its larger effect is to inhibit progress on the broader issues of conservation and ESA implementation."
IN GAME OF THRONES FANS' PURSUIT OF REAL-LIFE DIRE WOLVES, HUSKIES MAY PAY THE PRICE
May 6th: Siberian huskies having shaggy, gray and white fur, pointy ears, and lupine facial features make them near-doppelgangers of the Game of Throne dire wolves. Siberian husky rescue groups across the U.S. and U.K. report observing a significant increase in the number of abandoned huskies in need of homes since 2011, when Game of Thrones debuted.
8 ANIMALS THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT HAS SAVED
May 5th: When it comes to endangered species in North America, the gray wolf has become a public relations darling. It’s not just that there’s something wild and beautiful about wolves. They’re also a testimony to the worst that humanity has to offer nature.
STUDY FINDS TRUST FOR WILDLIFE AGENCIES, BIG SPLITS ON WILDLIFE VALUE
May 5th, Colorado: According to a new study by Colorado State University, which looked both nationally and state by state at what we think about wildlife and the way we manage it, “We’ve gone from a world where we perceived wildlife as something we had control over and should use the way we wish, to a world where we regard animals as human-like, with a certain amount of rights like humans have."
May 2nd, Oregon: On Monday, May 6, five groups—the Center for Biological Diversity, the Humane Society of the United States, Cascadia Wildlands, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Defenders of Wildlife—plan to rally outside of the Portland USFWS office. The organizations will be joined by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) who will give an address at the start of the rally.
UNKNOWN WOLF VISITORS, REBUFFED INCEST, HUNGRY MOOSE HIGHLIGHT NEW ISLE ROYALE REPORT
May 2nd, Michigan: The annual report on Michigan's Isle Royale wolf and moose populations is compiled each year by researchers at Michigan Technological University. This winter, they spent four weeks tracking moose and wolves using planes and skis. Now in its 61st year, it is the world's longest-running study of a predator-prey relationship.
WOLVES LEAVE NEW BISON NEIGHBOURS ALONE IN BANFF NATIONAL PARK
May 2nd, Canada: The wolves know the bison have moved in but they haven't yet attacked their natural prey — something that will come with time, Parks Canada resource conservation manager Bill Hunt says.
WOLVES BOOP THEIR SNOOTS TO TOUCH SCREENS TO FEED THEIR FRIENDS. DOGS? NOT SO MUCH.
May 1st: According to a study published today in the journal PLOS ONE, wolves appear to be more inclined than dogs to be generous with their pack mates. When given the choice, wolves deliver food to their friends, even if they don’t benefit themselves. Dogs, on the other hand, quickly lose interest in the absence of personal payoff.