Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Skinny cows, fat chance – The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is considering compensating ranchers whose cattle purportedly lose weight as a result of the presence of wolves. But, as our wolf expert Suzanne Stone points out in an interview with Northwest News Network, there’s no scientific evidence to prove that cattle lose weight because of wolves.

Listen to the story here:

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The state wildlife commission will consider proposed changes to their compensation program at its meeting in Olympia on Nov. 9. If you live in the area, we hope you will consider weighing in against this proposal and encourage better ways to address ranchers’ concerns about native predators. Any money allocated to ameliorate the potential impacts of predators on livestock producers should go toward verifiable costs, not be doled out based on speculation.

Wildlife Services Agent Gone Wild – While hunters and trappers routinely post graphic images of their kills, we expect more from federal agents responsible for managing America’s wildlife. Yet, a report from the Sacramento Bee indicates that a federal trapper with USDA’s Wildlife Services posted photos on his Facebook page of his dogs attacking a coyote caught in a leg hold trap. Incidents like these demonstrate a lack of professionalism and suggest that some in the agency are still stuck in the 1930s when bounties were paid for eliminating predators. Hopefully, stories like this one will help raise awareness of the need to reform Wildlife Services.

A proper context for livestock losses – What kills cows and sheep besides wolves? Lots of things. That’s the gist of a recent blog post by our colleagues at Oregon Wild. Newspapers across the region continue to run front page stories when wolves are blamed for dead livestock, while reports of far more devastating losses attributed to other causes get buried. Here are a few recent accounts of livestock lost to something OTHER than wolves:

• 95 sheep died last week from eating poisoned grass in Idaho after their owner illegally grazed his herd in an abandoned mine (link)
• Earlier this month domestic dogs killed 44 sheep in Wyoming in a single incident – about the number killed statewide by wolves last year (link)
• 44 unattended cows were killed by trucks near Madras, OR when they broke through a fence in September (link)
• Last year an Amtrak train killed 24 cows that broke through an unmaintained fence near Klamath Falls, OR The rancher wants compensation (link)
• Over 1,200 cows have been stolen by human thieves in Malheur County, OR alone from 2006 – 2009 (link)
• A single storm in Montana killed over 2,250 livestock (link)

Wolves do kill livestock from time to time. However, these reports show that, in the bigger picture, wolves account for only a tiny fraction of overall losses and don’t deserve as much attention (or blame) as they typically get.

Kenai wolves NOT killing moose – A study of 54 radio-collared moose calves in Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula found that bears and humans, not wolves, were the leading causes of death. Of the 45 calves that died, 26 were killed by bears, and seven died after being collared by researchers and subsequently abandoned by their mothers. Only one moose calf was lost to either a wolf or a coyote. Hopefully this new information will convince the state Board of Game to abandon its plan to cull more wolves via aerial gunning in order to boost moose herds.

Florida is in the midst of a baby boom, but not one you might expect.  There are 50 percent more sea turtle nests on Florida beaches this summer than in past years, a pleasant surprise to wildlife researchers.  The threatened loggerhead and endangered green and leatherback turtles are all species that nest on the Florida coast.

Newborn sea turtles like these have a long swim ahead of them. We can help them get the best possible start by turning off artificial lights at night and keeping away from their nests.

Scientists aren’t sure what caused the sudden spike in the nest count, though some of the turtles may have increased their food intake this year.  What we can be sure of, though, is that we need protections for sea turtles to ensure that we have more banner seasons like this one.

Turtle Excluder Devices, or TEDs, help prevent sea turtles from being caught in fishing nets.  Regulations requiring most shrimp nets to have TEDs have been in place since the 1990s, but exempted nets still capture over 28,000 sea turtles every year.  The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recently proposed to close the gap and extend the requirements to all shrimp nets, but wildlife opponents in Congress are moving to block this recovery effort.

Defenders is working hard to fight this opposition and make the oceans safer for the tiny hatchlings that will soon be heading out to sea.  Meanwhile, you can help sea turtles by reducing artificial lights at night if you live near nest beaches, since they can confuse and attract sea turtles trying to crawl back to the water.  Make sure to keep kids and pets away, too.  You can also help by picking up beach trash, which can attract raccoons and other predators.

Conservationists can feel hopeful that Florida nest numbers are up.  The true test, though, will be the number of turtles hatched on Florida beaches that return to lay their own eggs, many years from now.

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  Click to listen to the Public News Service story with Defenders representative Elizabeth Fleming’s commentary!

Woes for Wyoming wolves – Defenders raised the alert this week to oppose the imminent delisting of wolves in Wyoming. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could prematurely strip federal protections as soon as the end of this month, putting more than 100 wolves at risk of being killed through a combination of hunting and shoot-on-sight predator control. Wyoming could reduce the population by more than a third, leaving just 100 wolves outside of Yellowstone National Park. To get there, they’re plan allows wolves across the majority of the state to be killed anytime by almost any means—shooting, trapping, poisoning, gassing pups in their dens.

We’re calling on the Obama administration to halt the delisting and force Wyoming to come up with a better plan. Wolves should be treated like other valuable wildlife and allowed to fulfill their important ecological role, not treated like unwanted vermin. No other native species is managed to a biological minimum, especially one that has only recently recovered. You can help us by telling the Obama administration to ensure the future of a healthy, sustainable wolf population in Wyoming and across the Northern Rockies. Click here to take action. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more information about the pending delisting.

California wildlife agency says state protections warranted – OR-7 still isn’t having much lady luck on his solo voyage into northern California, but there are plenty of people who want to make sure that he and other wolves continue to have safe passage through the state. This week, biologists with the California Department of Fish and Game recommended that the state Fish and Game Commission provide endangered species protections to ensure that wolves are given the chance to recover in California. Pam Flick from our Sacramento office pointed out that these protections will help discourage poaching:

“Illegal poaching has caused 24 percent of all wolf deaths…State listing may not prevent all killings, but it may prevent some.” Read more from the AP story in the Mercury News

Wolves in California are currently protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, but those protections may not remain in place for much longer. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife is currently considering a proposal that would strip protections for gray wolves (except for Mexican gray wolves in the Southwest) across the entire lower 48, including California. Meanwhile, Defenders is working closely with the state to come up with a wolf management plan that will benefit wolves and minimize potential livestock conflicts.

Washington wildlife agency kills first wolf – After reported livestock losses in northeast Washington, state wildlife managers lethally removed a young female of the Wedge Pack this week. She was the pack’s “puppy-sitter,” however, so it is unlikely that she was involved in any depredations.  We are investigating this incident further to determine if there are nonlethal measures that could be better applied to the situation in this area. Listen to this in-depth interview with the assistant director of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife on Northwest Public Radio’s EarthFix:

Earthfix Conversation: Find Out Why Washington Officials Killed An Endangered Wolf by EarthFix

The state claims they exhausted all their options for trying nonlethal methods, but we hope they will continue to work proactively to prevent conflict so that no more wolves are removed. Read more from the Seattle Times and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

USFWS targets Mexican wolf – Yesterday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued an order to kill the alpha female in the Fox Mountain pack in response to livestock depredations in western New Mexico. This is the first Mexican wolf removal order due to conflicts with livestock since 2007, thanks in part to Defenders efforts to proactively reduce conflict by working with ranchers in the area. But with only 58 Mexican wolves in the wild, every loss is significant and delays recovery even further. The dire situation once again emphasizes the need for the Fish and wildlife Service to release more wolves to augment the struggling population.

Poachers leave four wolves, six bald eagles dead in Montana – We’ve always known that poaching was a serious (and underreported) problem in the Northern Rockies. Here’s the evidence. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced this week that it is investigating the illegal poisoning of four gray wolves and six bald eagles that turned up dead in May in the Bob Marshall Wilderness of western Montana. The Service is offering $2,500 for information leading to a conviction. Tips can be reported to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks via their hotline: 800-TIP-MONT.

Wolf texting far out but not far off – Wolves are highly social animals, but we never expected text messaging to be in their future. A few Swiss biologists imagined otherwise and have devised a way to use the technology to alert sheep herders to the presence of wolves. The idea is simple. Sheep are fitted with a collar that monitors their vital signs. If they start to panic (like when a hungry predator is on the prowl), the collar sends a signal via text message alerting a nearby herder of the potential threat. The device proved effective during preliminary testing with wolf dogs in a small enclosure. Next, they’ll have to see how it works in the wild. The design team plans to modify the device in the future to issue a sound or spray repellent to keep wolves away, buying the herder more time to try to intervene. Read more from Wired.

Pups in Wood River project area – For the second year in a row, our Wood River team has documented pups moving through the project area. This time the evidence came from one of our trail cameras that snapped a photo of a gray pup and a wolf pup at night. See for yourself:

“Coast to Coast” is a summer blog series highlighting some of America’s most imperiled wildlife. By using the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s new state-by-state endangered species map, we will tell  stories about native plants and animals in unique landscapes where Defenders will be focusing its conservation efforts in coming years.

This is the story of a mighty minnow called the Oregon chub. This tiny, silver-backed fish only grows up to nine inches long and hides out in slack water such as oxbows and beaver ponds. Chub can only be found in five counties in western Oregon along the Willamette River, but the plight of the chub is representative of many species across the region. While the chub is now on the road to recovery, this humble fish offers an important cautionary tale of what’s at stake for other species.

Bioregion known as Cascadia

Cascadia, known as “The Land of Falling Waters,” is an eco-region defined by the river valleys that drain the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest. Those rivers were once dominated by big fish like salmon, steelhead and trout that dine on smaller fish like the Oregon chub. But the Willamette River Valley, home of the Oregon chub, is where nearly two-thirds of Oregonians also make their home, causing serious trouble for the chub and other fish.

The Willamette River was once the major creator of still, shallow water that the Oregon chub needs to survive. However, the chub’s habitat was slowly destroyed as the river’s natural flows were cut off upstream. Extensive flood-control and dam management have caused marshes, oxbows and over-flow ponds to disappear. The chub nearly disappeared along with them; by 1993 populations had been reduced by 98%, and it was officially listed as an endangered species.

For almost five years, several small conservation measures were put in place. Agreements with local officials at water treatment plants, the Army Corp of Engineers and other organizations helped improve the chub’s status. However, in 1998, it was discovered that only 20 populations remained, and 12 of those had fewer than 100 individuals.

That same year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service implemented a recovery plan that included protecting critical chub habitat, reintroduction of populations into previously populated areas, and programs to raise public awareness. It was a huge success.  In 2010, the chub became the comeback kid of Oregon.  The once-dwindling species boomed to over 20 populations of at least 500 fish, enough to merit a change of its status from “endangered” to “threatened.”

Listen to experts from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife talk about their successful recovery efforts:

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While chub populations are finally improving, other fish species in Cascadia still need our help. Pacific salmon and steelhead populations, for example, are still well below historic levels as a result of decades of dam-building and water pollution. That’s why Defenders has been fighting attempts in Congress to lift vital protections that keep our rivers clean and our fish healthy. Pesticides, in particular, are still a major threat to many species across the region, including the Oregon chub. Yet Big Ag and pesticide manufacturers want to make it easier to poison our waterways with toxic pesticides. Help us stand up to special interests and keep our rivers safe for people and wildlife!

Elk org. disowned by trusted elk family –  You know something’s up when a leading elk conservation organization gets a rebuke from the son of “the father of modern elk management.” Olaus Murie was a well-known biologist and writer whose research was instrumental in restoring elk and other wildlife to the West. After his tenure with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, he co-founded and served as president of The Wilderness Society, and campaigned to expand Grand Teton National Monument and to create the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. His brother Adolph was an expert on wolves, and the visionary leadership of both men help set the foundation of wildlife management in our country.

For years, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation granted the Olaus Murie Award to individuals who exemplified his commitment to protecting wildlife habitat. But this week, Olaus’ son Donald Murie sent a letter to RMEF asking the organization to remove his father’s name from the award. His reason? Murie said the organization’s unscientific, anti-wolf positions were untenable, running counter to the “careful and meticulous studies” his father was known for. This is yet another wake-up call for a once-great conservation organization, and reminder that protection of one native species should never come at the expense of another. See a copy of the letter here.

“Olaus was one of the first to argue that it is not about wolves or elk or Redwoods, or eagles or owls, it is about habitat, space where natural processes can work freely, as they have done for millions of years. Populations of prey and predators go up and down, but over time maintain a functioning system.” — Donald Murie

Hats off to Bob Ferris and Cascadia Wildlands for encouraging the Murie family to stand up for Olaus’ beliefs and the spirit of his conservation legacy!

This guard dog keeps a watchful eye over a flock of sheep grazing in the Wood River Valley of central Idaho.

A dog in sheep’s clothing– Livestock guarding dogs have been used for centuries and remain a very effective nonlethal deterrent when properly managed. A team of dogs can keep hungry predators at bay by barking and drawing the attention of a nearby herder or range rider who can more easily frighten wolves away. If left unattended, the dogs will even stand their ground and try to fight off a wolf or coyote, though they often find themselves on the losing end of the battle. Guard dogs can also be detrimental in spring if they get too close to wolf dens, which can trigger an attack from wolves defending their pups. Like all deterrents, proper management is the key to success.

Guard dogs are common in places like the Wood River Valley, where sheep graze on public land throughout the summer. But that also means there’s a potential source of conflict when people come into contact with the guard dogs. As this story from Public News Service points out, it’s important to keep in mind that these are working dogs, not pets. People should take caution while hiking or cycling in areas where livestock are grazing. Listen below to learn more:

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Check out our online guide for more information about livestock guarding dogs and other nonlethal deterrents.

Airing our grievances with Montana’s new wolf hunt regulations – Much of the debate about Montana’s newly approved, more aggressive wolf hunt regulations has focused on trapping. At least that was the main focus of coverage from NPR’s Morning Edition this week. Some wildlife advocates have decried the practice as inhumane, but that’s not the only issue. Wolf trapping is also a threat to imperiled species like wolverine and lynx that can easily be harmed or killed in a wolf trap.

More importantly though, the state has offered no legitimate reason for trying to reduce wolf numbers. Their specious arguments about impacts on livestock and elk are not valid since livestock losses are already very low, and the decline of certain elk herds is the result of multiple factors, not just wolves. There is no evidence that simply killing wolves will further reduce conflicts with livestock or boost elk herds, and just appeasing people who don’t like wolves doesn’t seem like sound wildlife management at all. Other wildlife species aren’t treated like this in Montana and wolves shouldn’t be either.

Listen to the NPR story below and let us know what you think of Montana’s wolf hunt plan.

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Montana approves aggressive wolf hunt – Despite a great turnout from wolf supporters at their meeting yesterday, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission approved more aggressive wolf hunting regulations for the upcoming season. Many Montanans expressed particular concern about the potential impacts of allowing widespread wolf trapping both at the meeting and during the official written comment period. The editorial board for the Missoulian called the proposal “cruel and unnecessary,” and Defenders has repeatedly brought attention to the risks to rare, non-target species such as lynx and wolverine that could easily get caught in a wolf trap. Yet the Commission ended up ignoring these comments all the same.

In the bigger picture, Montana’s decision amounts to an unwarranted escalation of their wolf-killing efforts in just the second year since delisting. The state appears to be myopically focused on driving wolf numbers down without legitimate justification, rather than maintaining the population currently on the ground. Some radical hunters and ranchers insist that a more aggressive hunt and fewer wolves will mean more elk and fewer livestock losses. But there’s no scientific evidence to show that’s the case. With fewer than 100 cattle lost to wolves in 2011 out of 2.5 million, it’s unclear that simply killing more wolves will make any difference anyway. We’d much rather see the state take a lead role in promoting nonlethal deterrents and better animal husbandry practices to prevent livestock losses before they occur.

Read our full press release here.

Guard dogs and people must work together to protect sheep.

Wood River Team springs into action – Our Wood River Wolf Project team had to spring into action last week when four sheep were lost to wolves near Ketchum, Idaho. This particular migrating band of more than 1,000 sheep had only one guard dog with it and no herder when the incident occurred, highlighting the importance of human vigilance. While a team of barking guard dogs can occasionally ward off a wolf attack, a lone dog does not provide much of a deterrent, especially if human help isn’t nearby. So to avoid any further losses, our team spent several nights following the band and staying with the sheep at night. They shined lights and fired cracker shells to warn off wolves and other native predators, while searching for sign of wolves during the day. By doing so, our project team was able to prevent further losses. The rancher also agreed to put more livestock guarding dogs out with his sheep and have his herders keep closer watch over their flocks. Unfortunately, a kill order has been issued for Wildlife Services to remove wolves in the area, but the rancher has rescinded his request and asked to put a collar on the wolf instead.  Having a collar will help our field technicians track wolf movements so they can warn ranchers when wolves are near their sheep.

According to Suzanne Stone, the Wood River Wolf Project coordinator, while the situation wasn’t ideal, this incident shows how we can  protect both sheep and wolves if ranchers and wildlife managers work cooperatively toward that goal. We also got some great publicity this week in Ag Weekly, thanks to Public News Service, with a story that highlights the expansion of the project this year countywide. Listen here:

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Ranchers in Blaine County who are looking for help protecting their livestock from wolves and other wildlife can now call our new hotline at 1-8-555-WOLVES.

Idaho slouching toward open season – Wolves can now be hunted somewhere in Idaho any day of the year. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission decided last week to open wolf hunting on private land in the panhandle the day after the previous hunting season officially closed in two districts. This is just the latest in the state’s attempts to drive wolf numbers down toward the federal minimum requirement of 100 to 150 wolves per state. They already allow wolf hunting and trapping for most of the year statewide, and an individual will be able to kill up to 10 wolves per person this coming fall. If Idaho continues down this path, it won’t be long before they declare a year-round open season on wolves.

Rocky Mountain Director Mike Leahy told the Coeur d’Alene Press:

“No other native animal is intentionally driven down to such artificially low numbers, especially one that Americans have worked so hard to restore. Black bears and mountain lions aren’t hunted year-round even though there are far more of them, and wolves shouldn’t be either.”

Oregon wolves cover more ground – Oregon’s nascent wolf population continues to grow slow and steady with individual wolves showing up in places they haven’t been in nearly a century. The lone male wolf known as OR-7 has recently journeyed more than 100 miles south of the border, making it all the way to California’s Butte County for the first time. Meanwhile, according to the Confederated Umatilla Journal, OR-14 has become the first documented resident of the Umatilla Indian Reservation near Pendleton, Oregon. Wolves have been seen in the area before, but OR-14 is the first collared wolf that has actually been tracked and confirmed. The Umatilla tribe has already reached out to Defenders to learn about nonlethal wolf management, and we have helped  their biologists deploy wildlife cameras to learn more about wolves in the area. They are thrilled to have wolves back on their land and intend to do what they can to help protect the animals.