Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Delisting decried nationwide – While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tried to paint last week’s announcement as a resounding success, many newspapers saw the national delisting proposal quite differently. An editorial from Oregon’s Register-Guard, for example, noted that leading wildlife biologists say that wolf numbers have not reached sustainable levels in key parts of the species historic range. The paper also criticized Northern Rockies states for killing more than 1,000 wolves only two years after Endangered Species Act protections were removed in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Never before has an imperiled species gone from being fully protected one day, to being aggressively hunted the next.

The Salt Lake Tribune picked up on a similar theme, saying that delisting is premature, especially when the wolf still faces such hatred out West. For many wolf opponents, wolf “management” means killing as many wolves as possible. But treating wolves like unwanted vermin completely ignores the vital ecological role they play in maintaining healthy, balanced ecosystems.

In a New York Times op-ed, Jim, Jamie and Garrick Dutcher contrast the rush to strip federal protection for gray wolves with the more measured approach taken with the recovery of iconic species like the bald eagle and American alligator. Those species were not delisted until stable populations had recovered across a greater portion of available habitat. Bald eagles were soaring in the skies from coast to coast before protections were removed. And alligators were swimming not just in the Florida Everglades, but in Louisiana bayous and halfway up the Atlantic sea board by the time states took over management. More importantly, neither species has been persecuted like wolves have been.

But there’s more at stake than just poor state management. As our top wolf expert Suzanne Stone points out, stripping federal protection likely means that wolves will never even make it to places like Colorado, where there is excellent habitat but no wolves. (Listen to the full story on Northwest Public Radio)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially published its proposal this week and will be taking public comments for the next 90 days. Make sure you tell the Service as well as Interior Secretary Sally Jewell not to give up on wolf recovery!
Click here to submit your comments!

Don’t blame wolves for elk decline — Wyoming researchers are uncovering new information that may cause all of us to revisit our understanding of how elk and wolves interact. In a recent three-year study, biologists with the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit found that elk do not dramatically change their behavior in the presence of wolves, as previously thought. Specifically, the study team found that elk that encountered wolves more often were just as likely to retain fat and get pregnant as those that had fewer wolf encounters.

These findings directly undermine the claims of anti-wolf extremists who have blamed wolves for declining elk herds in select areas. Many wolf opponents have claimed that wolves frighten elk and prevent them from eating enough food to maintain weight and get pregnant, but the current study would seem to contradict that argument. The bigger influence may come from direct predation by grizzly bears as well as other factors like drought and climate change.

It also appears, however, that wolves may not be the primary or only driver of “trophic cascades” that have restored native vegetation in certain parts of Yellowstone National Park. Many biologists provide compelling evidence that wolves help keep elk and other ungulates on the move, thus preventing them from destroying communities of young willow and aspen trees.  This study indicates that the effect of wolves may be far more subtle in certain landscapes.  Another paper released this week from Poland indicates that the trophic cascade benefits of wolf predation may have greater influence in woody habitat as opposed to open range.

By Cynthia Bournellis

Some people are born with an innate understanding of and appreciation for wildlife and wild places. That is the case for me. A California Bay Area native, I grew up with the giant Redwoods and Pacific Ocean to the west of the Santa Cruz Mountain range and the majestic oaks and fertile farms to the east.

Cynthia outside DOW HQ in Washington, D.C.

As a child, I spent most of my summers in the Northern Sierras. The Alpine peaks and towering pines captivated me. It is these wild places that spawned my passion for hiking. On occasion, my hikes along our country’s trails have placed me within a stone’s throw of iconic inhabitants such as brown bears and bison.

Unfortunately, many of America’s most treasured natural assets are now at risk due to urban sprawl, climate change, a lack of human understanding of nature’s place within the ecosystem, and legislative attacks on the endangered wildlife and habitats. This is why I partook in Defenders of Wildlife’s “Conservation Crossroads” lobby day in Washington, D.C.

I have never lobbied in my life. Yet there I was, the average citizen preparing to talk to our nation’s decision makers and influencers about an issue close to my heart. But wasn’t that the point? To stand up for wildlife, to have my voice be heard, to remind our elected leaders what’s really important?

Thanks to Defenders, my world expanded tremendously as a result of this opportunity. During our training session, Defenders provided us with a wealth of valuable information. However, the content overwhelmed me a bit and left me wondering how I was going to incorporate it into the meeting with my representative’s aid the next day. My Sherpa (Defenders’ guide on Capitol Hill), though, calmed my nerves, pointing out that while I’d probably be speaking with representatives from California who generally support wildlife, it was still important that I meet with them in-person to express why defending the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and providing adequate funding for related programs are important to me. She advised me to be sincere and be myself.

That night, I compiled my talking points on notecards and practiced my pitch. I carried my cards with me the next day, referring to them often before my meeting. I was mildly nervous going into our first meeting with Rep. Mike Thompson, a true champion for endangered wildlife. Yet, his approachable and engaging demeanor led to lively and informative conversation, which fed my confidence for subsequent meetings.

Defenders California lobby team in DC.

As it turned out, the next meeting with Rep. Anna Eshoo, who represents my district, was better than I expected. The legislative aide we met with was very welcoming and had a good sense of humor. He listened with genuine interest while I shared my own story, and also educated me on my congresswoman’s activities regarding the ESA—primarily her vote against wolf delistings. Furthermore, he took time out to provide me with details on habitat conservation activities in my county. I walked away from the meeting with a true sense of accomplishment.

Our subsequent meetings with both Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein’s aides were also satisfying. However, it was the latter meeting that was the most exciting: Feinstein’s aide turned the tables on us, asking for our opinions the Bay Delta Conservation Plan—a heated issue— in California that has been occupying the senator’s time. The fact that he wanted our feedback impressed me and ignited intelligent conversation that amounted to an informal brainstorming session.

My day on the hill—including the evening reception—was both invigorating and like nothing I had imagined. In fact, there were moments when the experience seemed downright surreal, such as when chatting with Rep. Thompson about our shared passion for wine, taking a group picture with Sen. Boxer and meeting the longest-serving member of congress—John Dingell, Jr.—and Defenders President Jamie Rappaport Clark at the reception. I must say that I have a deep respect for what Defenders does: Having their support, as well as support from the other constituents in my group, made for a positive experience.

I now have a better understanding of what it takes to lobby, the role it plays and, most important, the need for constituents to talk to their representatives in-person—not just through letters or phone calls—so that they can see the faces behind the concerned voices.

***BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service just released its national wolf delisting proposal. See our full press release here. Defenders is waging an unprecedented initiative to keep wolves protected – click here to get involved.

“Delistings are premature” – It may turn out to be too little, too late, but even the New York Times agrees that the feds shouldn’t give up on wolves so soon. An editorial from veteran Times writer Verlyn Klinkenborg on Sunday said Congress and the Interior Department are putting politics before science in pushing for delisting of almost all gray wolves nationwide:

“Interior’s plan has little to do with science and everything to do with politics. Congress bludgeoned President Obama’s first interior secretary, Ken Salazar, into delisting the Rocky Mountain wolf. But there is no reason his successor, Sally Jewell, has to accept a plan to delist the wolves everywhere. It is hard enough to protect species that occupy hidden ecological niches. Politics has made it harder still to protect an intelligent, adaptive predator living openly in the wild.”

A herder sets up fladry to keep wolves away from sheep in central Idaho.

More money for making peace – No matter what their status is under the Endangered Species Act, it’s clear that the future of the species depends on our ability to find ways for wolves and livestock to safely share the landscape. For more than two decades, Defenders has paved the way with our compensation and coexistence programs. It took a while for the federal government to catch up, but this week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the renewal of a grant program that will provide $850,000 to states and tribes to benefit wolf conservation. The Wolf-Livestock Demonstration Project Grants provide funds for both compensation and projects to implement nonlethal deterrents and other proactive management strategies designed to prevent livestock losses to wolves.

Defenders assisted with the development of this program, and we insisted on the inclusion of a provision to make sure that half of the funds are used for coexistence, not just compensation.  We are also offering to share our decades of expertise to help grant recipients carry out successful projects that protect both their livestock and our wildlife. Hundreds of state, federal and tribal representatives have taken our training programs to learn more about the use of nonlethal deterrents like fladry, carcass removal, livestock guarding dogs, lighting and sound scare devices.  On June 20 and 21, we are offering another training workshop in central Idaho to teach about and demonstrate the use of these important  wolf conservation methods. We are thrilled to see more and more ranchers, biologists and organizations using nonlethal coexistence strategies for safeguarding livestock and wolves.

A lion, a marten, a bear, oh my! – Speaking of successful coexistence, the sixth season of our Wood River Wolf Project in central Idaho is well underway. Our field crew has begun monitoring key areas where wolves and sheep are likely to cross paths this summer, and they’re setting up motion-activated cameras to see what animals are already passing through. No wolves have been caught on camera just yet, but they did capture images of cougars, bears, coyotes, foxes, martens, elk, deer, antelope, grouse, a raptor and some unidentified blurs across the screen. See photos below.

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Black bear

Mountain lion

Marten (look closely for the squirrel-like critter on the downed tree)

“Give wolves a chance” – Sometimes, when I get down about how wolves are being managed in the Northern Rockies, I simply look to the Southwest, where the situation is even more dire. Though numbers have increased slightly in recent years, there are still only 75 Mexican gray wolves spread out across southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona. An editorial from The Arizona Republic this week reminded me how precariously this tiny population is perched, and how serious the challenges are facing Mexican gray wolves:

• Since 1998, at least 46 Mexican gray wolves have been killed illegally
• Many more wolves need to be released to solve genetic and demographic issues
• Additional populations need to be established — don’t keep all your lobos in one basket!
• There is still not an up-to-date, scientifically sound recovery plan in place

Be sure to watch the video included with article that encapsulates the views of many who are more inclined to shoot, rather than protect, the wolves are nation is still struggling to restore.

Compromise reached in Oregon – Ranchers and wolf advocates have tentatively reached an agreement with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife that should allow people and wildlife to better coexist. The agreement resulted from a lawsuit a year and half ago that prevented the state from killing wolves involved in livestock depredations. In 2011, two wolves in the Imnaha pack in northeast Oregon were slated for removal after repeatedly killing livestock. But several conservation groups filed suit, arguing that killing the Imnaha wolves was a violation of the state’s Endangered Species Act. Soon thereafter, the parties to the lawsuit entered negotiations to look for a compromise.

The agreement reached last week will require ranchers to demonstrate that they have implemented nonlethal deterrents and other proactive strategies to reduce conflict before any wolves are killed. Further, only wolves involved in four or more depredations in a six-month period can be removed, and information regarding the incidents must be made readily available to the public. While this does mean that some wolves are likely to be removed later this year based on current trends, ranchers will now be responsible for protecting their herds before the state will intervene.

Read more from our friends at Cascadia Wildlands, who were part of the settlement.

Wolf tracks. Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

MT, WY move in opposite directions – Montana and Wyoming are both moving forward with changes to their wolf hunting regulations for next season, but the two states are moving in opposite directions. Wyoming plans to cut their quota in half, reducing the number of wolves that can be killed in the trophy management area from 52 to 26. Last year, a total of 42 wolves were killed by licensed hunters in Wyoming. Another 43 wolves have been killed already in the so-called “predator zone,” dropping the total population by about 16 percent. With only an estimated 277 wolves left in the entire state at the end of 2012, including 83 in Yellowstone, wildlife managers are concerned that another aggressive year could bring the overall population dangerously close to the minimum of 100 to 150 wolves per state, which will trigger a status review to see if wolves should be relisted. Without that safety net in place, there’s no telling how low each of the states would go.

Meanwhile, Montana is ratcheting up its wolf-killing efforts by extending the season by a month and allowing hunters and trappers to kill up to five wolves instead of just three. Last year, Montana hunters and trappers killed 225 wolves, dropping the overall population by about four percent. Though that is a relatively minor decline, we’d rather see the state focus on maintaining wolves at current levels instead of trying to drive numbers farther down.

There’s still time to comment on both the Wyoming and Montana wolf hunting regulations. Comments on the Wyoming proposal are due June 12 and can be submitted here online. Comments on the Montana proposal are due by June 24^th and can be submitted here online.

Fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy – We often like to brag about our Wood River Wolf Project, but never before have we felt worthy of biblical allusion… until now!

Last year, 27,000 sheep were in the project area around the Wood River Valley; two or three packs of wolves were on landscape. They lived in harmony with only one late incident when the bands of sheep came upon wolves no one knew were there. Four sheep were killed.

What they had achieved on a small scale was the prophesy of Isaiah: “In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together.” – Rocky Barker, Idaho Statesman

A recent incident with a Blaine County sheep producer emphasizes our success. The owner of the Flat Top Ranch has lost 31 sheep already this year by ignoring our advice and leaving unguarded animals spread across public lands in the heart of wolf country. Sadly, his losses offer the perfect counterexample of what can happen when appropriate steps aren’t taken to prevent conflict.

Seeing signs – Traveling to Yellowstone National Park this summer to see wolves? Then, you might notice something new on your drive in. Our friends at Predator Defense have paid for billboards that remind park visitors that Yellowstone’s wolves are now at risk of being shot the moment they step outside the park’s boundaries. A handful of these iconic animals have already been killed in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, including some of the park’s most famous wolves, beloved by wolf-watchers worldwide. That’s part of the reason we continue to fight against the premature delisting of gray wolves– to make sure the same fate doesn’t befall wolves in other parts of the country. If you haven’t already, please support our campaign to maintain federal protections for gray wolves.

Help us run more ads like this one that ran in the Washington Post Express today.

Service delays national delisting…for now – We were all surprised and greatly relieved on Monday when the Associated Press reported that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was delaying indefinitely its premature national gray wolf delisting proposal (see our press statement). Hopefully, the delay means that the Obama administration is rethinking its position. Perhaps the 112,295 (and counting) email messages our wolf supporters have sent to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell haven’t fallen on deaf ears. Or maybe it was convincing letters from independent biologists, the American Society of Mammalogists and Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) sent to agency officials in the past week that made the difference. Whatever it was, we need to keep the pressure up to ensure that this isn’t just a temporary reprieve. Wolves still need federal protection to recover in vast areas with excellent habitat, such as the Pacific Northwest, northern California and the southern Rockies. You can help us secure a brighter future for wolves by supporting our latest outreach efforts, including an advertising campaign that launched today in the Washington Post Express!

Meanwhile, our colleagues at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility filed a lawsuit demanding information from 2010 meetings between state and federal agencies regarding wolf biology and management. Their efforts may help reveal the motivation behind the premature delisting of gray wolves in the Northern Rockies and shed light on current plans to abandon wolf recovery nationwide. As PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch said, “By law, Endangered Species Act decisions are supposed to be governed by the best available science, not the best available deal.” We couldn’t agree more, and Defenders Executive Vice President Don Barry emphasized that point on the air recently when he had the chance to discuss the importance of maintaining the integrity of the ESA and protections for gray wolves. Listen to his interview with KTVA near Los Angeles:

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Bill sponsors and supporters join Gov. Inslee for the signing of critical wolf funding legislation in Washington.

Gov. Inslee signs wolf funding bill — Washington ranchers will soon have more resources at their disposal to help wolves and livestock coexist, thanks to the state legislature. Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill this week that is expected to raise more than one million dollars for nonlethal wolf conservation management efforts and compensation for livestock producers.  Champions of the bill included Representatives Hans Dunshee and Kristine Lytton and Senators Kevin Ranker and Christine Rolfes.  Defenders regional wolf conservationist Suzanne Stone was present at signing and added, “This is a great example of the benefit of working collaboratively to tackle conflicts instead of just fighting over them.  This legislation is a win for wolves and for ranchers.” Thanks to all our colleagues and supporters in Washington and across the country who helped get this key piece of legislation passed and signed!

Oregon livestock losses highlight need for nonlethal deterrents – According to the latest update from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the state’s wolves have been getting into more trouble with livestock. Last week, OR-4 of the Imnaha pack was implicated in the death of a yearling cow, and at least one Umatilla wolf was involved with the death of four sheep. Overall livestock losses to wolves are still extremely low in Oregon, as well as across the rest of the West. But these incidents provide an important wake-up call for ranchers in the region who are turning their animals out on pasture this spring and summer. Using proactive strategies and nonlethal deterrents is essential to minimizing livestock losses in wolf country. Often all it takes is a few guard dogs, a range rider or portable fencing to ensure that livestock and wildlife can safely coexist. Such measures will be vitally important as wolves continue to expand into areas where they have been absent for nearly 80 years.

Discover wolves in North America – A new series called “North America” premiered on the Discovery Channel on Sunday, and of course wolves were featured prominently. Watch these incredible clips of wild wolves chasing bison and caribou, engaged in the perennial showdown between predator and prey:

Another rocky start for Idaho ranch – You can bring a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.  Witness this old adage in practice in central Idaho where the Flat Top Ranch continues to practice antiquated lambing practices that have cost them far too many sheep, even though they have been offered assistance to avoid these losses.  Now wolves are being targeted by Wildlife Services with your taxpayer dollars in response.

According to the Idaho Mountain Express, ranch owner John Peavey has lost at least 31 sheep to wolves in the past week, offering a perfect example of what NOT to do in wolf country. Instead of providing extra protection for his ewes while they give birth to their lambs, he has sent them out on the range where they attract numerous wildlife species. Scavenging birds such as vultures and ravens pick over the afterbirth, and wolves, coyotes and other scavenging mammals follow soon thereafter. Once hungry predators are in the area, there’s nothing to stop them from going after defenseless lambs or their mothers. As our wolf expert Suzanne Stone says, it’s like setting the table and ringing the dinner bell for any carnivores in the area to enjoy the feast.

Defenders has repeatedly offered to help the Flat Top Ranch implement proactive strategies and nonlethal deterrents to prevent conflict, but each time our advice has been ignored. However, this does offer an important counterexample that proves the effectiveness of our work – none of our project partners have suffered similar losses. In fact, most ranchers we work with seldom lose sheep at all to wolves when properly guarded. In 2012, we protected 27,000 sheep and lost only four to wolves during the summer grazing season over a more than 1,000-square-mile project area. We stand ready and willing to help the Flat Top Ranch once they make the decision to stop range lambing methods that result in preventable losses of sheep, wolves and other native wildlife.

Atka goes to Washington.

A wolf in Washington? – That’s right. An arctic wolf was spotted in Washington, D.C. this week on Capitol Hill. Atka, an ambassador wolf from the Wolf Conservation Center in New York, was in town for a reception co-hosted by Defenders of Wildlife to celebrate the launch of our Conservation Crossroads campaign, as well as the 40^th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. What’s more — today is not only Atka’s 11^th birthday, it’s also Endangered Species Day! So pop the champagne, we all have something to celebrate this week.

Washington wolves move west – Speaking of wolves in Washington… Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is working with ranchers outside Wenatchee to provide safe passage for wolves traveling west through the state. For example, rancher Doug Hurd is keeping his cattle on a pasture with an electrified fence a little longer instead of turning his cattle out onto open rangelands while wolves chase elk and deer herds through the area. The precautionary measure should help prevent wolves from preying on the cattle and keep the wolves focused on hunting wild prey. Ensuring these natural movements across the landscape is vital to further wolf recovery in the state, as wolves start returning to central Washington. See the full report from King5’s Gary Chittim:

Montana proposes wolf hunting expansions – The public can now weigh in on a proposal that would extend Montana’s hunting season another month through the end of March and allow hunters to kill up to 10 wolves each. The proposed revisions would also permit hunters to shoot wolves standing near baited traps (read the full story from Reuters). Though the state’s wolf population dropped seven percent this past year, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is still attempting to reduce wolf numbers even further. Please tell the state wildlife commissioners to reject the proposed changes and focus on promoting tolerance and coexistence instead of more wolf killing. Click here for details on how to submit public comments.

Yellowstone area rancher forfeits second kill permit – KPAX reports that a rancher embroiled in a controversy over the killing of a Yellowstone wolf has forfeited his shoot-on-sight permit to kill a second wolf. The man has apparently removed his cattle from the area to their summer pasture and has moved his remaining sheep as well. He had killed a female wolf (831F) from Yellowstone’s Canyon Pack while she was on his property, after allegedly losing 13 sheep to a pair of wolves in a prior incident. The wolf he shot was not the one responsible for attacking the sheep but was likely lured to the site by a sheep carcass that was left behind. Hopefully the rancher will take additional steps to protect his livestock in the future, avoiding the need to kill more wolves.