Defenders of Wildlife Blog

(Update on yesterday’s post about a wolf pup found in central Idaho)

Suzanne points to wolf tracks by the side of the road believed to be those of the mother and siblings of the lost pup.

Good news! Defenders wolf expert Suzanne Stone and lead field technician Patrick Graham from our Wood River Wolf Project went out last night searching for the lost wolf pup’s family in the central Idaho wilderness. They were able to find tracks of what appear to be the mother and several other pups. The tracks indicate that the mother wolf was using the road to move her litter through Sawtooth National Forest where they were disturbed by human activity and the one pup got separated from his family.

In cooperation with Idaho Department of Fish and Game, our field crew is heading back out to search for the den site and hopefully find the rest of the pup’s family. Wolves travel fast though, so if they can’t be found on foot, it may be necessary to conduct survey flights to locate them by plane if possible.

In the meantime, the pup is still being fed and cared for by professionals and is expected to be transferred to a zoo later today.  Let’s keep good thoughts going for his reunion with his family.

Here’s a video Patrick took over the weekend of the pup at an animal care facility:

Over the holiday weekend, some out-of-state campers visiting central Idaho found what appears to be a young wolf pup wandering alone on a road in the national forest. They took him to the Sheriff’s office, and he is now being cared for by professionals.  We’re not sure what if anything happened to the pup’s family, but our field crew is trying to locate the other wolves at this time.  I caught up with our wolf expert Suzanne Stone to learn more about this unfortunate situation.

How did you hear about this incident?

The pup was found within one of our wolf coexistence project areas, so our local partners contacted us immediately for help. We recommended that he be taken to a professional animal care facility until a longer term solution can be found. It’s still unclear at this point what happened to the pup or why he was by himself, but we’re helping Idaho Fish and Game figure out if there’s a way to return him to his family.

We did get some basic location information about where the pup was found, so I’m heading out with our head field technician to try to find the rest of the pack in the hope that he can be returned to them. Unfortunately, it has become much more difficult to track wolf activity in the last year or so since many of the collared wolves have been killed during the wolf hunting and trapping seasons. We now have very limited information about wolves in the area.

How is the pup doing?

He’s very frightened of people, and it looks like he hasn’t eaten in days. We’re trying to find some goat’s milk and bison meat to feed to him, but he really needs to be returned to his pack as soon as possible. Wolf pups are extremely vulnerable at this stage, and their chances of survival on their own are very low.

What’s next for the pup?

It’s hard to say without knowing the status of the rest of the pack. If the adults are still alive and we can find them, there’s a good chance the pup can be returned to the pack and survive. But if the adults are dead or can’t be found, then there’s no sense leaving a pup out there by himself. We might be able to find another pack to act as surrogate in another location, but there’s always a risk they will not accept the pup as one of their own.

Are there any other options?

The last resort is for him to be raised in captivity. We’d much rather see the pup survive in the wild than being fed by hand behind a fence. But captivity could be the only option if we can’t find the rest of his pack or another pack willing to adopt him.  If that’s the only option, one of the country’s top wolf rescue facilities has already offered to take and care for him.

Is there anything we can do to help?

Our top priority right now is to find the rest of the pack and see if the adults are still alive and if there are other pups. Ultimately, the decision will rest in the hands of Idaho Fish and Game, so there may be opportunities to support their efforts to save this pup. Please stay tuned as we learn about the situation…

State, federal officials allow more than 400 wolves to be killed in first year of state management

WASHINGTON (April 30, 2012) – On May 5, 2011, Congress used a budget rider to remove the Northern Rockies wolf from the list of endangered species.  For the past year, Idaho and Montana have been in charge of managing wolves in their states. Idaho in particular has pursued very aggressive strategies, including allowing very liberal hunting and trapping seasons during which more than 375 wolves have been killed so far. Dozens more wolves have been killed in Idaho as a result of targeted removals in response to livestock losses and to artificially boost elk herds in select areas.

The following is a statement from Jamie Rappaport Clark, president of Defenders of Wildlife:

“For years, Idaho’s leaders repeatedly said that they would manage wolves responsibly. Idaho wildlife biologists even wrote a plan to maintain 518-732 wolves. But Idaho Governor Otter rescinded the biologists’ plan, and state officials indicate they have no plans to manage for more than 150 wolves. It seems when finally given the chance to manage their own wolves responsibly, Idaho has shown itself quite unwilling to do so.

“In the past year, state officials have pursued some of the exact same short-sighted, predator control strategies from the 1800s that put wolves on the endangered species list in the first place. They’re treating wolves like vermin instead of managing them like valuable native wildlife. That’s not how Idaho manages other species like black bears and mountain lions, and it’s not a responsible way to manage wolves either.

Idaho's hostility to wolves is more evident now than ever.

“Meanwhile, the federal government is sitting idly by as Idaho almost singlehandedly unravels one of our nation’s greatest wildlife conservation success stories. This is totally unheard of—never before has a species climbed its way back from near extinction only to be quickly decimated once again. Americans deserve a better return on their investment after helping to restore wolves in the Northern Rockies.

“The Obama administration and members of Congress who supported the wolf rider share the blame for stripping vital protections without adequate safeguards in place, and now it’s their job to hold Idaho accountable. The question is: How low will Idaho have to go before those responsible for the wolf’s premature delisting do something?”

The following is a statement from Suzanne Stone, Northern Rockies representative for Defenders of Wildlife:

“The concerns of Idahoans who care about wolves are being completed ignored by our state officials.  At last month’s Idaho Fish and Game Commission meeting, wolf supporters outnumbered opponents more than three to one yet not one of our concerns about more than doubling the number of wolves that hunters and trappers can kill in the upcoming season were addressed.  The state pledged to manage wolves like they do other wildlife, but mountain lions and black bears are not managed this aggressively.  Idaho maintains approximately 3,000 mountain lions and 20,000 black bears and less than 600 wolves are left today.  We need a responsible wildlife management plan for Idaho before the population is decimated.”

Background:

Gray wolves in the Northern Rockies were officially delisted on May 5, 2011, as the result of a budget rider introduced by Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) and Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.). The provision was the first in the 40-year history of the Endangered Species Act to strip federal protections for an individual species by legislative fiat.

Read more about wolves on Defenders blog

Learn more about what Defenders is doing to protect wolves in the Northern Rockies

See Idaho Fish and Game’s wolf hunting and trapping website

Wolf hunt ends in most of Idaho – Idaho’s wolf hunting and trapping season ended Saturday, March 31 across most of the state. Since the season began seven months ago, 372 wolves were legally killed—about half of the total number of estimated wolves tallied at the end of 2011. As Defenders wolf expert Suzanne Stone told Northwest Public Radio, that’s a lot of wolves, especially for the first year of state wolf management after federal protections were stripped for the species in May. Also, in some wolf hunting districts hunting will be allowed right through denning season to June 30, when wolf packs and pups are easily found and exceptionally vulnerable.

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.

The state wildlife commission has already ratcheted up their wolf control efforts for next year by approving higher bag limits and extending the season in several parts of the state. The state appears to be trying to drive the population down to a minimum number—an approach that resembles aggressive predator control more than it does responsible wildlife management. Idaho doesn’t treat black bears and cougars that way, even though those species are far more abundant, also prey on elk, and can have similar impacts on livestock.

It’s time for Idaho to start managing wolves like they do other valuable wildlife rather than pursuing the same strategies that nearly wiped wolves out 80 years ago and led to their listing.

Nonlethal tools are taking off in Oregon, allowing wolves and livestock to coexist. Defenders help pay for fladry at this eastern Oregon ranch.

Oregon invests in coexistence – While Idaho continues to dismantle wolf recovery efforts, Oregon is moving forward with a program that will help reduce conflict and benefit wolves over the long run. Oregon Department of Agriculture distributed nearly $83,000 this week to counties in eastern Oregon through the state’s newly minted wolf coexistence and livestock compensation program. Defenders helped the state create the program, which was adopted unanimously in legislation last summer. The best part is that $65,000 (almost 80 percent!) is earmarked for purchasing nonlethal deterrents like fladry, electric fencing and other scare devices. This bodes well for a future in which people and livestock can coexist in Oregon. Defenders has helped pioneer these methods in Oregon by working directly with ranchers who are living with wolves nearby, providing funding for range riders, purchasing miles of turbofladry, hosting training workshops for biologists, and more.  We are expanding our work in Washington and California to ensure that wolves have the best possible support across the West and deeply appreciate the continued support of our members who make our work possible.

OR7 back in Cali – The draw of the Golden State was simply too irresistible for OR-7, the lone male wolf that has been dividing his time between California and Oregon since the end of last year. According to California Department of Fish & Game, OR-7’s tracking collar was picked up on the southern side of the state line on March 31. He had left the state in early March, spending most of the month in southwest and south-central Oregon, but now he’s back in northern California. Keep tabs on his latest moves here. See full story in today’s Sacramento Bee.

Expanded Idaho wolf hunt – Idaho’s 2011-12 wolf hunt ends in most of the state next week and it will have claimed at least 367 wolves (the current total) by hunting and trapping, plus dozens more that were removed by state and federal wildlife agents. In two units, the season continues through June – through denning season when packs and their pups are easy to find at their densites. Wolves will only get a short reprieve, however until the next season begins at the end of August.

At the Idaho Fish and Game Commission monthly meeting this week, there were more wolf supporters than wolf opponents. Between 30 and 40 attendees testified on behalf of wolves, yet the Commission ignored their concerns about escalating wolf killing in Idaho. They failed to address any of the concerns presented, including that:

• using traps and snares on public land is unsafe for pets;
• no areas are set aside for wolf-watching;
• Idaho’s wildlife belongs to all citizens, not just hunters, trappers and fishermen, and
• a 72-hour trap-check policy allows wolves to suffer for days.

Instead, commissioners approved even more aggressive wolf hunting and trapping plans for next year by increasing the number of wolves that individual hunters can kill in a season, allowing trapping in more areas, and extending the season later in the year (see full AP story).

Defenders’ wolf expert Suzanne Stone gave testimony about the success of the Wood River Wolf Project that was well received, but it wasn’t enough to talk the commission out of taking more aggressive action. Regardless, thanks to all our supporters who spoke out in support of wolves! We’ll need all the help we can get at every meeting to help turn the tide of anti-wolf sentiment in Idaho.

Idaho commissioner comes to DC – Blaine County Commissioner Larry Schoen is the liaison between the county and our Wood River Wolf Project, and his support has been instrumental in growing the project. Larry traveled to Washington in early March to help share the success of the project with the Idaho delegation and other agency stakeholders. Hearing directly from a respected Idahoan has helped strengthen our case that nonlethal tools are a valuable part of wolf management and deserve more support from the federal government. Read more about Larry’s trip in his hometown paper, the Idaho Mountain Express.

Wolf death under investigation in Oregon – According to state police, a dead wolf was found on private property in northeast Oregon last week. The cause of death had not been determined, but authorities planned to conduct an investigation to rule out any wrongdoing. At the end of 2011 there were an estimated 29 wolves in Oregon. Read more in the La Grande Observer.

BOISE, Idaho (Feb. 23, 2012) – Idaho Department of Fish and Game announced yesterday that it helped fund USDA Wildlife Services’ removal of 14 wolves in the Lolo zone of the Clearwater National Forest in northern Idaho. The federal action is part of an Idaho program to remove most wolves from a remote section of federal land in an attempt to boost elk numbers. An additional 28 wolves have been removed from this area through trapping, hunting, and previous aerial gunning.

Statewide, more than 400 wolves have been eliminated from Idaho’s population since the beginning of 2011. This represents a significant impact on the state’s wolf population, which was last estimated at 705 animals at the end of 2010. The participation of USDA Wildlife Services in state wildlife management is an inappropriate expansion of the federal role in non-endangered wildlife management under the Obama administration.

The following is a statement from Suzanne Stone, Northern Rockies representative for Defenders of Wildlife:

“It’s wrong to ask American taxpayers to subsidize the pointless killing of wolves in order to boost game populations. The removal of wolves in the Clearwater National Forest runs counter to science-based wildlife management and is an inappropriate use of limited resources that should be aimed at conserving wildlife. Hunters and trappers have already killed more than 20 wolves in the area in the last six months, and the season continues until the end of March. There’s no scientific evidence that the ecosystem is out of balance due to the return of wolves and thus no justification for having Wildlife Services kill more wolves to boost elk numbers.

“The decline of the Lolo elk herd was the result of multiple factors, including historic habitat changes, road-building, and over-hunting by humans. Killing wolves without addressing these other factors is misguided. Further, biologists do not have an accurate count of how many wolves are in the Lolo region, and Idaho has no formal plan in place to measure the impacts of killing wolves on the elk population. Targeting dozens of wolves could wipe most of them out of the area, defeating the purpose of restoring the species to its proper ecological role. Wolves are vital to maintaining nature’s balance and should not be eliminated so carelessly.

“Now that removal of wolves to boost elk herds has been allowed on the Clearwater National Forest, there’s nothing to stop wildlife managers from pursuing it elsewhere in the state. These actions validate our long-held concern that wolves were prematurely delisted based on inadequate state management plans that allow wolf numbers to be drastically reduced.

“It’s time to put a stop to these aggressive, unwarranted actions by the state. It’s also time for the Obama administration to stop allowing Wildlife Services to help states eliminate native wildlife.”

Read IDFG’s press release

Read more about Idaho’s aerial gunning plan

See Idaho Fish and Game’s wolf harvest information

Learn more about what Defenders is doing to protect wolves in the Northern Rockies

Get weekly wolf news updates on Defenders blog