Defenders of Wildlife Blog

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):

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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.

OR7 on the move? – The current whereabouts of OR7 (aka, Journey) are unknown, though he is believed to still be roaming northern California in search of a mate. California Department of Fish and Game published a map of the lone wolf’s journey but is updating it infrequently to protect OR7 from poachers.

Unfortunately, California wildlife managers can’t protect OR7 (or any wolves, for that matter) from the whims of Hollywood, whose directors seem eternally hell-bent on portraying wolves as vicious man-eaters. In the latest incarnation of cinematic “lupophobia,” Liam Neeson and his team of marooned roughnecks must fend off a pack of snarling wolves in the frozen Alaskan backcountry.

In an LA Times story yesterday, Director Joe Carnahan says “The Grey” was actually intended to show the dangers of man’s intrusion into nature, not to sully public perception of wolves. Defenders’ California Director Kim Delfino was quoted, pointing out that the wolves in the movie do not reflect reality since they rarely ever attack humans. But at this critical juncture for wolves, reinforcing erroneous stereotypes of wild wolves as man-hunting demons only makes our job of protecting and restoring them more difficult. Defenders has already sent letters to the movie studios asking them to help educate moviegoers with the real facts about wolves. Check out our mythbusting fact sheet and help us spread the truth.

Montana considers extending wolf hunt – Since September, Montana hunters have killed at least 137 wolves, not including wolves killed by state and federal wildlife agents in response to livestock depredations. The hunting season has already been extended once by Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission. Now they’ve given initial approval for another extension that would allow hunters to kill wolves in the Bitterroot Valley until April 1, right before pregnant mothers begin denning and have pups.

Wolves hunt two bull elk in Yellowstone. Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Park Service.

In spite of a $100 bounty on wolves from the Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, only three wolves have been killed so far in the area, which has a quota of 18 wolves that can be legally harvested during the hunt. By repeatedly extending the wolf hunt, Montana wildlife managers appear to be using their quotas as population reduction targets rather than upper limits for management purposes. By proposing to extend the hunt just in the Bitterroots, they’re no longer targeting wolves that are harassing livestock in order to help ranchers but simply responding to hunters who complain that wolves are taking too many elk. However, elk herds in this area were declining for a multitude of reasons well before wolves returned. In fact, researchers have determined that the primary cause of decline was increased harvest of female elk by humans, specifically to reduce the population. Further, extending the hunt into peak breeding season could prevent dispersing wolves from replacing breeding wolves killed earlier in the year.

Overall, we’d like to see Montana taking a much more measured approach, especially while the impacts of statewide wolf hunting are still largely unknown. The FWP Commission is accepting comments through Feb. 13, and final adoption will be considered at the Feb. 16 meeting. More details here.

Suzanne on the radio – As promised, here’s the link to our wolf expert Suzanne Stone’s interview from last week on the Christopher Gabriel Program on AM 970 WDAY. She explains why the return of wolves to California is such a big deal, the role of wolves in the ecosystem, and the potential to restore wolves in other parts of the country. And if you just want to hear her howl, jump to the 21-minute mark!

Wolves in town – Residents of west Jackson, Wyoming, had some uninvited guests drop by this week when three wolves were spotted on the outskirts of a subdivision. The area is not far from Grand Teton National Park, so the locals are already accustomed to seeing wildlife moseying through town. Elk commonly move through the area seeking refuge from wild predators. But this marks the first time that wolves have been seen in a primarily residential part of Jackson. While the wolves are not considered a threat to humans, residents should take steps to remove any attractants and protect their pets.

As of now, wolves are still protected in Wyoming under the Endangered Species Act, which means they cannot be harassed or harmed unless a person’s life is in danger. But that may not be the case for much longer. The comment period closes today on the federal proposal to strip protections for wolves in Wyoming that would allow wolves to be shot on sight across the majority of the state, including on some national forest lands that provide excellent wolf habitat and where wildlife is supposed to be a priority. In the latest wrinkle, federal park officials are raising concerns that the current state management plan would allow wolves to be hunted in along the Rockefeller Parkway that connects Yellowstone to Grand Teton National Park.

OR7 stirs the California pot – OR7 (aka, Journey) has been in California only two weeks, but his appearance has been greeted with both cheers and fears. The lone dispersing male has been on the move, making his way into northern Lassen County early in the week. Meanwhile, at a meeting in Yreka with a capacity crowd, Siskiyou County supervisors listened to comments and concerns of local residents. Some urged the county to ban wolves outright, while others pleaded for tolerance and celebrated the return as a momentous occasion.

State and federal wildlife managers have been attending a series of meetings in northern California to address questions about the return of wolves and meeting with Defenders and other stakeholders in Sacramento. More information can be found on the state’s new wolf website at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/nongame/wolf/

And in case you missed it, here’s Brian Williams’ report on OR7 featured on NBC Nightly News last Friday:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Don’t turn that dial – Wolves were featured in a flurry of radio shows this week. First, American Public Media did an in-depth interview with Carter Niemeyer, former wolf trapper and recovery coordinator, who published a memoir about his experiences. His accounts are brutally honest, including often graphic detail of his gruesome depredation investigations. But his story reveals the complexities of dealing with both ranchers and wolf advocates during an extremely volatile period.

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Wednesday, Montana Public Radio aired a feature story about Nathan Varley who runs a wolf tourism business that operates in Yellowstone. Nathan regularly leads wolf tours focused on educating park visitors about basic wolf biology and behavior. Listen below, starting at the 15-minute mark:

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Yesterday, Defenders’ wolf expert Suzanne Stone did an extended interview with Christopher Gabriel, a popular talk radio show host in Fargo, North Dakota. She explained the importance of wolves in California, the ecological role of wolves, and the importance of reducing conflicts with livestock to promote social tolerance. And of course, she taught Chris how to howl. (Archived show coming soon!)

High school students perform the Quileute "wolf dance" while facing off against a visiting amabassador wolf from Mission Wolf.

Twilight in DC – The shape-shifting “werewolves” in the Twilight Saga are pure fantasy, but the Quileute tribe on which the story is based is not. These Native Americans have a long and rich history living on the Olympic Peninsula in modern-day Washington State that dates back to a time when real wolves still existed. In fact, the Quileute creation legend is that the original tribal members were transformed from wolves into humans. That’s why wolf iconography and ritual dances remain an important part of Quileute culture today. (Suzanne even got to witness the sacred “wolf dance” during a visit last summer when she met with tribal leaders to discuss the return of wolves!)

An exhibition of Quileute art opens today at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Click here for more details.

By Glen Gardner, Public News Service

Listen to the Public News Service Story

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A new study in Florida is aimed at helping determine the best ways for cattle and panthers to coexist.

The endangered Florida panther has made an amazing comeback. Once only 20 remained, but now the population is estimated at 100 to 160. However, finding a place for all those panthers to live without conflict is getting more difficult.

Last year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission began receiving reports of the cats preying on calves, beyond their natural prey of deer, wild hogs and other native game. The University of Florida, with support from Defenders of Wildlife, is studying the situation in an effort to find solutions.

Caitlin Jacobs, a graduate student and researcher at the university, says radio tags on calves and motion-detecting cameras are being employed to help get answers.

“We have them placed around the study areas to try and capture pictures of panthers – for one, to show how much panther activity there is on these ranches.”

The two-year study is focusing on two ranches in southwest Florida where the goal is to determine the extent to which predators, in particular the Florida panther, are responsible for calf mortality.

The research, Jacobs says, should answer a number of questions about how the calves are dying and about how many panthers may have developed a taste for calves.

“Is there one cat that has learned that calves are easy prey?”

A Florida panther caught on one of the 15 trail cameras donated by Defenders to assist with the research on two ranches. Paw prints were found at the site the next day.

Liesa Priddy, owner of J-B Ranch in Immokalee and one of the ranchers participating in the study, says having good information is key to coming up with a plan to balance the panthers’ habitat needs with ranchers’ concerns.

“Only with that solid information, having everybody on board in agreement with what the problem is, are you going to be able to address it and come up with a solution.”

Twenty-four panthers died in 2011, which is tied as the most deadly year with 2003 and 2009.

Learn more:

Click here to view this story on the Public News Service RSS site and access an audio version of this and other stories.

Already, 2012 has seen the death of one male panther, who was killed by a vehicle while crossing the road. Read about Defenders’ work to make roads safer for Florida panthers.

Winter is peak wolf-watching season in Yellowstone, where packs are on the hunt in search of food and leave tracks that are easily visible in the snow. Businesses like The Wild Side in Gardiner, Mont., have taken advantage of the influx of wolf watchers in recent years by offering tours year-round. Owners Nathan Varley and Linda Thurston have found that wolf tourism brings in much-needed revenue during the off-season when park visitation is much lower than in the summer. Listen to the full story that aired today on Idaho’s Public News Service:

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

December 6, 2011

KETCHUM, Idaho – People in the Rockies and from around the country are willing to pay just for the chance to see a wolf in its natural habitat. That’s what a guide has discovered, and the tours he and his wife offer in Yellowstone National Park are always booked.

Nathan Varley says his waiting list of clients demonstrates there is economic potential, something he thinks Idaho businesses should investigate.

“So, we’ve been in the industry a long time, and I mean, it just seems to be a growing business at a time when a lot of businesses aren’t growing at all.”

Varley says he hopes states that are wrestling with wolf management issues see that the animals have positive economic value beyond hunting.

“We tell you the history of the pack, and the different roles of the individuals and their personalities, and the fascinating ecology, but it’s also just sort of an interesting drama.”

He says Idaho’s focus has been on reducing wolves through hunting and trapping, and the wolf-watching tourism angle has been mostly neglected. He adds that wolf-watching tourism provides much-needed off-season revenue for his business, and that winter is the best time to see wolves.

The next Yellowstone tour he’s leading is in mid-January. Details are at www.yellowstoneassociation.org.

TUCSON, Ariz. – Wildlife advocates say the pre-Thanksgiving sighting of an adult male jaguar in southern Arizona is an encouraging sign of the recovery of a species that once roamed as far north as the Grand Canyon. State officials used photos and videos taken by a hunter to confirm the sighting.

Craig Miller, Southwest representative with Defenders of Wildlife, says more sightings are inevitable because of jaguar recovery programs taking place in Mexico.

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Listen to this story featuring Defenders’ Craig Miller on Public News Service radio.

“There are encouraging conservation programs taking place in Sonora, just south of the border, to help these jaguars recover and to help ranchers and landowners learn how to live with them. Those populations are increasing.”

Federal managers in the U.S. are also developing a recovery plan. The last known jaguar spotting in the United States was nearly three years ago. A 15-year-old jaguar known as “Macho-B” was captured, fitted with a radio collar and then recaptured and euthanized 12 days later, when it was determined he suffered from kidney failure. The controversial actions led to state and federal investigations.

Miller says there is no reason jaguars can’t recover and thrive in the southwestern United States.

“There are abundant habitats in Arizona and New Mexico to host jaguars. What’s necessary is for our land managers to preserve the landscape in a way that allows jaguars and other forms of wildlife to move freely between core habitat areas.”

There is no reason jaguars can’t recover and thrive in the southwestern United States. – Craig Miller

Some in the conservation community have called for capturing the newly spotted jaguar and fitting it with a radio collar to track its movements. Miller says there are less invasive, lower-risk techniques to study the jaguar and its habitat.

“Jaguars in their northern range have suffered a 75-percent mortality related to capture and handling. I don’t believe trying to capture this animal and fit it with a radio collar would be a prudent approach. In some cases, research can get in the way of conservation.”

Miller says hunting, trapping and predator control are the main reasons jaguars disappeared from Arizona. But times have changed and Miller says he is now hopeful, due to better laws and a growing public interest in restoring jaguars to the border region.

Doug Ramsey, Public News Service – AZ