Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Wolves, like this on in the Cascade Mountains, are receiving the ire of the Yakima County Farm Bureau even though only one livestock loss has been attributed to wolves in Washington in more than five years.

Tempers flare in Pacific Northwest – Though there are fewer than 30 wolves in Washington, and the state’s wolf management plan has only recently been approved, wolf opponents are already pushing for more aggressive control actions. Legislators are proposing a significant decrease in the fine for illegally killing wolves from $4,000 to $1,000 and relisting wolves as a “game” animal instead of endangered. The Yakima County Farm Bureau is opposing the state’s wolf plan outright. Some of their members want all wolves to be eliminated, even though there has only been one confirmed livestock loss to wolves since they returned to Washington more than five years ago.

At least some landowners are taking a more measured approach. Dan Studley, quoted in the Yakima Herald, says he’s not too concerned about wolves:

As the story points out, Defenders has already chipped in $15,000 in start-up funds to help Washington get a compensation program off the ground. We are also organizing another series of workshops to help local, state, federal and tribal wildlife managers enhance their skills in field investigations and nonlethal deterrents.

Montana county considers wolf bounty – This week, anti-wolf zealots in Jefferson County, Montana are pushing to reinstate a wolf bounty program that would pay people for killing wolves. Only three cattle were lost to wolves in Jefferson County in 2011 according to state compensation payment records, but rather than taking steps to learn to live with wolves, county commissioners are considering a bounty to encourage all wolves to be killed. But not all residents of Jefferson County are on board with the proposed bounty. One hunter, quoted in the local paper, said that the state should be given a chance to manage wolves responsibly before counties take more aggressive action. Another person suggested that cougars and coyotes are likely taking more elk calves and fawns than wolves are, and another said bounties often amount to legalized fraud. Read more in the Helena Independent Record.

Wood River overseas – This summer we were lucky enough to have Pete Haswell, a young biologist from the UK Wolf Conservation Trust, volunteering on the Wood River Wolf Project. He spent his days and nights with our field team tracking wolves and sheep through the central Idaho wilderness, and when he returned, he had some great stories to tell. One night he came within 60 feet of a wolf in the Phantom Hill pack and exchanged late night howls with other packs as well. More importantly, he got to learn first-hand about the nonlethal tools we use to deter wolf attacks, which he hopes to utilize in his work in Eastern Europe. Pete also created an interactive map to keep track of known wolf locations in relation to grazing bands of sheep. Read more about Pete’s adventures in Idaho in the latest issue of Wolf Print, the quarterly magazine of UKWCT (see pg. 14). Pete also wrote a blog post for Defenders during Wolf Awareness Week.

Video of OR7 in his Oregon days – While OR7 remains in northern California in the shadows of Mt. Lassen, his legend continues to spread. This week a video surfaced of the lone male wolf from his Oregon days. The goal of the group named “Oregon Wolf Education” that sponsored the video is “to educate people on how the recent invasion of the Canadian gray wolf is affecting our lives.” But the video also tells a different story of a lone wolf that repeatedly moved through cattle pastures without causing trouble, due at least in part to the effective use of a range rider. Decide for yourself whether the short video portrays OR7 as a serious threat or just another wild animal sharing the landscape:

OR-7 from Pahsimeroi Pictures on Vimeo.

And in case you missed it, OR7 has also made news in the New York Times and TIME magazine!

What does the data show? – Understanding wolf behavior and their interactions with both wild ungulates and livestock isn’t easy. Wolves share the landscape with other animals that target the same prey, so it takes some careful analysis to determine the impact of any one species on another. That’s why Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is leading an in-depth study of predator-prey interactions in the Bitterroot Valley, where elk herds have declined in recent years. There are two years remaining in the study, but so far state biologists are learning that cougars in the area may be having a bigger impact on elk populations than wolves (last year, cougars killed 13 tagged elk calves and wolves killed three). The results of the study should yield important information about the relative impact of wolves on elk. Read more in this feature story from the Missoula Independent.

The number of endangered Mexican gray wolves living in the wild increased in 2011.

BREAKING: The number of endangered Mexican wolves, or lobos, in Arizona and New Mexico increased last year to 58 wolves and six breeding pairs, up from 50 wolves and two breeding pairs in 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today.

The small boost is big news around here. Mexican wolves are the most endangered subspecies of gray wolf in North America.

To get a better idea of what this means for the lobo’s recovery, I sat down for an in-depth Q&A with Defenders’ Southwest program director, Eva Sargent.

If you just want the highlights, check out our press release.

Q: So what exactly is the annual population count?

Eva: In January each year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) takes to the skies over the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area spanning more than four million acres in Arizona and New Mexico to count how many wolves are living in the wild. They use an airplane to locate signals from the wolves with telemetry collars, and then radio in a helicopter to take a closer look. The helicopter crew’s job is to count all the wolves found near the collared wolf. The airplane and helicopter also survey areas without collared wolves, searching for lobos that could have set out to claim new territory, find a mate or start a pack. Wildlife officials use this information along with wolves tallied during ground surveys in November and December to come up with a final count.

Q: Why do you think lobo numbers are on the rise?  

Red flags, called fladry, tied to fences help keep wolves away from livestock.

Eva: We are seeing the pay off of years of hard work by Defenders and others. In 2009, Defenders settled an important court case with the Fish and Wildlife Service that ended the notorious “three strikes” policy, which removed far too many wolves from the wild. Even genetically important wolves, and those with dependent pups, were removed. Under those conditions, it was difficult for the population to grow. Since the settlement, only one wolf has been removed. Fewer removals and more Wolf Coexistence Partnerships have helped Mexican wolves survive. Our coexistence program works directly with ranchers to lower conflict between livestock and lobos. We do things like help ranchers hire more cowboys to watch over cattle, fund special fencing or fladry (flags that wolves avoid), move livestock away from den sites – techniques that are proven to work. We’ve had growing interest from ranchers in the last few years, and the FWS, Arizona Game and Fish Department and others are placing a greater emphasis on coexistence projects.  

Q: Is this increase typical or should lobos be doing better?

The Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area spans across more than four million acres of wild lands.

Eva: We expected to have 100 wolves and 18 breeding pairs by 2006. Instead, due to excessive removals and ongoing poaching by wolf-haters, the population has never climbed above 59 and stagnated for many years around 50. Wolves are resilient. Given enough game and a chance to find a mate, they will expand into good habitat and the population will grow until it reaches a healthy balance with available prey. The most important thing that we can do to help out now is to release more wolves. There are wolves waiting right now, eligible for release in both Arizona and New Mexico, and the FWS needs to get on the ball and let them go. Some of these wolves have even been specially conditioned to avoid cattle, and we need to get them out there and see if this conditioning method makes a difference. In addition to releasing more wolves, the FWS needs to change its outdated policy that doesn’t allow wolves direct from captivity to be released in New Mexico. The service has been sitting on the paperwork for this policy change for years.

Q: What are some challenges to recovery?

Eva: The challenges are almost all political or social. We have Congressman Pearce in New Mexico repeatedly trying to defund the program, and we have a lack of resolve to release more wolves. We are also waiting for a new recovery plan, although good progress is being made…

The first step to overcoming some of these obstacles is to take a rigorous scientific look at what Mexican wolves need to survive into the future. How many wolves are needed? How many different populations? How will the populations be connected, and where are the best places for wolves–the places with enough prey and not too many roads or too many people?

Q: What more needs to be done to help bring lobos back from the brink?

Eva: While all of the above is being figured out, we will continue to build tolerance and coexistence. We also need more wolves to be released. This is urgent. Our one small population is extremely vulnerable to disasters like the Wallow Fire, to inbreeding, to slipping back toward extinction.

Idaho's wolves are in the crosshairs. You can help save them. Please take action now!

Will your tax dollars pay for an ill-conceived aerial wolf cull in Northeastern Idaho – an unscientific plan to boost game populations that could kill as many as two thirds of the wolves in the Lolo District of the Clearwater National Forest?

Tell President Obama to stop aerial wolf killing in Idaho before it starts. Send your message right now.

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission has asked federal officials at Wildlife Services to use helicopters, sharpshooters and your tax dollars to find, target and kill most of the wolves in this wild area of Idaho.

President Obama can save these wolves. He need only direct Wildlife Services to deny Idaho’s request.

Ask President Obama to stop Wildlife Services from spending federal tax dollars on this ill-conceived aerial wolf killing plan designed to artificially boost game populations.

The wolf killing could begin within days – on our National Forests and paid for with your tax dollars – so please send your message now.

When President Obama took office in 2009, he promised to put science first in the management of America’s wildlife and natural resources. Now he has a chance to do just that by rejecting Idaho’s request for federal resources to kill wolves.

The President need only recognize the importance of ensuring sustainable populations of these ecologically important and iconic animals and reject Idaho’s attempts to artificially boost game numbers.

If we’re going to stop this wasteful wolf cull, President Obama needs to hear from as many caring people as possible. Please send your message today and help us send at least 75,000 messages to the White House by the end of the week.

Speak out for wolves and against using federal tax dollars to kill wolves in Idaho. Send your message now.

BLM aims to guide utility-scale solar power plants to public lands with least chance of harming wildlife.

BREAKING: On the heels of President Obama’s State of the Union remarks to expand clean energy development, the Interior Department is moving to finalize the nation’s first solar energy program for public lands with the closing of the public comment period.

Over the past 90 days, the Bureau of Land Management has been seeking input on the Supplemental Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (SPEIS) for solar development on public lands in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

The solar plan has garnered more than 100,000 comments in the past two years from stakeholders across the country advocating for balanced, guided development that would minimize potential impacts on wildlife and sensitive lands, and reduce uncertainty in permitting. Solar companies, major trade associations, utilities and conservation groups also submitted a joint letter to Interior with recommendations to help shape a successful solar program.

Following are statements from conservation groups and other stakeholders in support of guided solar development:

“We are at a critical juncture in the future of solar development on our public lands,” said Chase Huntley, Director of Renewable Energy Policy at The Wilderness Society.  “We have seen a tremendous amount of leadership from staff at the Department of the Interior to ensure we develop a strong solar program. Over the next few months we hope to see them finalizing a plan that strikes a balance between wildlands and wildlife protection while creating certainty and a level playing field for the solar industry.”

The Interior Department’s proposed solar program focuses on producing power in low-conflict and no-conflict zones and offers the best opportunity to achieve this goal. This zone-based approach is an important step toward producing energy in the right places and protecting sensitive public lands and wildlife. -Jim Lyons, Defenders’ senior director for renewable energy

“It’s time to kick our addiction to polluting fuels and create new jobs by increasing clean sources of energy,” said Johanna Wald, senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Interior’s intention to guide development to thoughtfully designated ‘solar energy zones’ will help ensure the success of the solar industry and our nation’s quick transition to a clean energy economy while protecting irreplaceable lands and wildlife. Reaching that balance is a tall order but Interior has provided strong leadership demonstrating that a comprehensive final solar program can be achieved.”

Solar projects must be carefully designed to avoid desert bighorn sheep habitat.

“If the Obama administration is to reach the goal of powering three million homes with clean energy by the year’s end, it must move quickly to put in place a smart solar energy program that speeds up permitting of projects. The key is to guide development away from conflicts with wildlife and natural resources to areas with access to transmission,” said Jim Lyons, Senior Director for Renewable Energy with Defenders of Wildlife. “The Interior Department’s proposed solar program focuses on producing power in low-conflict and no-conflict zones and offers the best opportunity to achieve this goal. This zone-based approach is an important step toward producing energy in the right places and protecting sensitive public lands and wildlife.”

As a solar investor, I believe the biggest advantage of the zones approach is reducing uncertainty in permitting. By doing so, it will reduce risks and attract long-term investments for projects that will create jobs and help advance our nation’s clean energy goals. — Nancy Pfund, founder and managing partner at DBL Investors

“Properly designed solar energy zones on public lands would be a major step forward in helping create an enduring and stable investment environment for the solar industry,” said Nancy Pfund, founder and managing partner at DBL Investors. “As a solar investor, I believe the biggest advantage of the zones approach is reducing uncertainty in permitting. By doing so, it will reduce risks and attract long-term investments for projects that will create jobs and help advance our nation’s clean energy goals.”

“The Bureau of Land Management’s latest solar energy plan is a major step forward in achieving the multiple goals of efficient solar development and protecting our water, wildlife and magnificent western landscapes,” said Timothy Hay, former Nevada consumer advocate and public utility commissioner. “By establishing clearly defined zones for solar energy development, we can begin to provide investors, developers, conservationists and citizens the predictability and stability to move forward.”

Desert tortoise benefit from smart planning of solar power projects.

“Well-designed solar energy zones will result in faster permitting and speedier construction of projects,” said Jonathan Foster, a director of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) in California. “Interior’s approach to guide solar development to appropriate areas strikes the right balance between protecting critical lands and wildlife, and providing greater certainty for project success – and should be supported by solar developers, environmentalists, and the public at large.”

“The solar industry is up to the task of meeting the President’s goal for dramatically expanding our rich solar resources in the Southwest,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association.  “However, project developers need clear rules of the road that balance the need for flexibility to build solar power plants both inside and outside of designated Solar Energy Zones with responsible stewardship of public lands, resources and wildlife. These are not mutually exclusive objectives and we look forward to continuing work with stakeholders.”

A healthy eastern hellbender at San Francisco State University. (www.joelsartore.com)

Last Monday we posted the first of Joel Sartore’s blog series detailing his visits to zoos all over the country as he uses his unique brand of photography to bring attention to the at risk animals living there for his Biodiversity Project. The goal of the Biodiversity Project is simple: to show what’s at stake and to get people to care while there’s still time to save these species.

Dispatch #9 – Phase Out

Excerpt: It’s a gray, cloudy day at the Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington, Illinois. It’s early, with no cars in the parking lot. They won’t open for another hour or so. Even then they’ll have few visitors. The place is as quiet as a church at midnight. And though you’d never know it, they’re keeping quite a sad secret here.

When any animal in the world zoo population slips below 50 individuals, tough choices—life and death choices—have to be made. Can we get more of the species from the wild to bolster the genetics going forward? If so, is this a showy enough species that the public will pay to come and see it?

For three species in this building, the answer is no.

Dispatch #10 – On to Baltimore

Dispatch #11 – Meet Mr. Big

Dispatch #12 – The Rehabbers

Dispatch #13 – Coming Home

Photo Gallery

Gibbon pack in Yellowstone. Photo courtesy of U.S. National Park Service.

When the weather breaks – Some bad weather passing through Idaho may be the only thing keeping 50 wolves alive in the Lolo zone of Clearwater National Forest. Idaho Fish and Game officials have said the state is ready to move forward with plans to remove up to two-thirds of the wolves in the area by aerial gunning, just as soon as the weather improves. The aerial gunning plan was approved by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission at its December meeting and will be carried out by federal agents with Wildlife Services, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Hunters and trappers have already killed at least 260 wolves so far this season, yet the state is still targeting more wolves in order to boost elk numbers for hunters. We’re pushing the state to abandon this unwarranted and unscientific wolf-killing plan. We’re also calling on the Obama administration to reform Wildlife Services and stop wasting precious tax dollars to artificially boost game populations. American taxpayers shouldn’t be asked to subsidize hunters. It’s time for Idaho to start managing wolves responsibly as they manage other wildlife instead of trying to kill as many wolves as possible.

Crossing a line – Defenders isn’t the only group expressing concerns over Montana’s proposal to extend the wolf hunt in the Bitterroot Valley until April 1. Two members of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission voted against the proposal. Commissioner Ron Moody has taken it a step further by openly criticizing the proposal, which he says would cross the line of ethical fair-chase hunting. Hunters aren’t typically allowed to shoot animals during their reproductive season when pregnant mothers are relatively defenseless. He also points out that wolves are just one of many factors that have reduced the size of the elk herd in the Bitterroot. He says bad winters, over-harvest of cow elk in prior years, others predators and habitat fragmentation have all conspired against elk.

Listen to a feature interview with Moody on Montana Public Radio (jump to the 9-minute mark):

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

In a column titled “Hatred of predators reaches ridiculous fervor,” Nick Gevock at the Montana Standard also laments the kill-all-the-wolves mentality en vogue across much of Montana. He writes:

“The Grey” area between fact and fiction – Though we’re still hoping “The Grey” will flop at the box office, the movie continues to garner attention for its sensational (and violent) portrayal of wolves. Our wolf expert Suzanne Stone explained to Greenwire why even fictional tales can do wolves a disservice:

Case in point: in the same article, Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) perpetuates the ridiculous myth that wolves eat children. That’s just the kind of irrational fear that anti-wolf extremists are only too eager to spread. Now “The Grey” is making their job easier.