Welcome
to Wolf Watch! WOLF
NEWS | Cat's new Wolf
Book
Wyoming news reporter Cat Urbigkit
lives in the heart of wolf country, near Big Piney, Wyoming,
a few hundred
miles south of Yellowstone National Park. As a news reporter,
rancher, researcher and Wyoming resident, she has followed
the wolf issue for many years and written many articles on
the topic, as well as an upcoming book on the history of
wolves in Wyoming.
The goal of this website is to present up-to-date, accurate
information about what is happening with wolves, focusing on wolves in the Rocky
Mountains, but referring to wolf happenings outside our region when there is
some local relevance. Rather than an agenda-driven advocacy site, this is the
place to be for the facts about wolves, with a strong focus on what’s happening
on the ground.
We invite those living in areas inhabited by wolves to contact
Cat with news tips, photographs, or other information. We also invite those who
want to support this endeavor to sign on as sponsors, and for our readers to
support those sponsors.
2009 WOLF NEWS
2008 Story Archive
2007/2006
Story Archive
 7/1/09: Who
is paying for the wolves?
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Montana Cattlemens Association ran this
full page ad in The Missoulian this past weekend supporting
wolf delisting.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
7/1/09: The
Great Lakes wolf deal
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reached
a lawsuit settlement agreement with wolf advocates that has
placed gray wolves in the Great Lakes region back under federal
protection. All restrictions and requirements in place under
the Act prior to the delisting will be reinstated... (Click on the link
above for the complete story.) 7/1/09: Wolves
hit sheep in Big Horns
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Buffalo Bulletin (Buffalo, Wyoming) has
an article detailing the impacts of recent wolf attacks on
sheep in the Big Horn Mountains... (Click on the link
above for the complete story.)
6/29/09: Wolf
status report 6/26/09
(By US Fish and
Wildlife Service) US Fish and Wildlife Service reports (past
weekly and annual reports) can be viewed online . Weekly reports
for Montana and Idaho are produced by those States and can
be viewed on the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Idaho
Department of Fish and Game websites. All weekly and annual
reports are government property and can be used for any purpose.
.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
6/29/09: Wolves
in Finland
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Gray wolves have expanded their range to
include western and southern Finland, after a 100-year absence.
With expanded wolf range has come expanded livestock depredations.
A research project focused on this conflict was published in
the journal Biodiversity and Conservation..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
6/29/09: Origin
of Great Lakes wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The ongoing debate over the origin of wolves
in the Great Lakes region, and whether the current wolf population
is comprised of hybrid animals, continues with a new paper
published in the journal Molecular Ecology. The paper entitled, "Origin
and status of the Great Lakes wolf," is the name of the
paper by S. KoblmÜller, M. Nord, R. Wayne and J. Leonard....
(Click on the link above for the
complete story.)
6/25/09: Coyote
and wolf interactions
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Researchers studying coyote and wolf interactions
in Yellowstone National Park have published results in the
Canadian Journal of Zoology. Their article says the reintroduction
of gray wolves) to Yellowstone National Park provides a rare
opportunity to study interactions with coyotes which had lived
in the absence of wolves for more than 60 years. Using radio-collared
wolves, they documented 337 wolf - coyote interactions from
1995 to 2007.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
6/25/09: Wolves
and the ranching economy
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The journal Ecological Economics has an article
entitled "Livestock depredation by wolves and the ranching
economy in the Northwestern U.S" by T. Muhly and T. Musiani.
In it they say that livestock depredation by wolves is a cost
of wolf conservation borne by livestock producers, which creates
conflict between producers, wolves and organizations involved
in wolf conservation and management. Compensation is the main
tool used to mitigate the costs of depredation, but this tool
may be limited at improving tolerance for wolves. In addition,
the article says wolf depredation is a small economic cost
to the industry, although it may be a significant cost to affected
producers as these costs are not equitably distributed across
the industry..... (Click on the link above for the complete
story.)
6/23/09: Wolf
status report 6/19/09
(By U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service) US Fish & Wildlife Services has released a wolf
status report on June 19, 2009. Past weekly and annual reports
can be viewed online. Weekly reports for Montana and Idaho
are produced by those States and can be viewed on the Montana
Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Idaho Department of Fish and Game
websites. All weekly and annual reports are government property
and can be used for any purpose. The Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery
2008 Annual Report is also available online. The status report
includes information on monitoring, control, research, delisting
status, law enforcement activities, outreach and education,
and more.... (Click on the link above for the complete
story.)
6/23/09: Elk
foundation supports wolf delisting
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) AmmoLand.com has an interesting editorial
about the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and its support for
wolf delisting... (Click on the link above for the complete
story.)
6/23/09: Livestock-killing
wolf allowed to remain
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has decided
to allow a livestock-killing endangered Mexican wolf to remain
in the wild. The wolf has been involved in four livestock depredations...
(Click on the link above
for the complete story.)
6/23/09: Greater
Yellowstone Coalition files wolf lawsuit
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC) has
filed its own lawsuit challenging the removal of federal protection
for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies. GYC is represented
by the Mills Legal Clinic at Stanford Law School in the lawsuit
that was filed in federal court in Montana. A group of about
a dozen environmental and animal advocacy organizations joined
together earlier last month to file a federal case against
wolf delisting, using the non-profit law group Earthjustice
as its legal counsel. Its federal lawsuit challenges the fact
that wolves in Wyoming remain classified as "non-essential,
experimental" under the same federal regulations that
allowed for wolf reintroduction in the mid-1990s. The GYC lawsuit
cites concerns for genetic interchange between wolf populations
in the tri-state region, finding fault with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service commitment for managed genetic exchange....
(Click on the link above
for the complete story.)
6/17/09: Great
Lakes wolf delisting challenged
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Environmental groups aren't just unhappy
about wolves being delisted in Montana and Idaho, but have
also challenged
the removal of federal protections for wolves in the Great
Lakes region.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
6/17/09: Wyoming's
breeding wolf packs
(By U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service) At least 15 breeding pairs of wolves have been identified
this spring in Wyoming, outside Yellowstone National Park.
Jackson has 5 denning packs. Cody/Sunlight has 4.
Cora/Pinedale area has 2. Dubois has 1. Green River has 1.
There is 1 on the west side of the Teton Range, and South Pass/Sweetwater
has 1. Telemetry flights will continue this spring to identify
additional packs that have denned. Click on this link for more
info on Wyoming’s breeding wolf packs... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
6/12/09: Yet
another wolf lawsuit
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Greater Yellowstone Coalition has filed
its own lawsuit against wolf delisting. The case was filed
in federal court in Montana, and was filed separately from
the one filed by other environmental and animal advocacy groups
recently. Wolf litigation has also been filed in federal district
court in Wyoming, by State of Wyoming officials... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
6/11/09: Wolves
kill dog in Cody region
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!)
The Cody Enterprise has an article by Carole Cloudwalker detailing
an account of a local man backpacking and camping in the North
Fork area when a pack of eight wolves arrived on the scene
and killed his dog. ... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
6/2/09: Earthjustice
files wolf case for enviros
(By Earthjustice)
Conservation groups filed their challenge to the removal of
Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the Idaho
and Montana. The case was filed in federal district court in
Montana. On April 2, 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
dropped the wolves from the Endangered Species list, finalizing
an effort launched by the Bush administration to deprive the
wolves of legal and habitat protections, thus allowing state
management and hunting. The challenged delisting decision is
the second time in a year the federal government has removed
federal protections for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains.
Conservation groups, represented by Earthjustice, successfully
sued to get the protections reinstated in July 2008.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
6/2/09: Wolf
lawsuits begin (again)
(By Defenders of
Wildlife) Defenders of Wildlife and 12 other conservation
groups filed a lawsuit asking the courts to reverse the ill-timed
and unwarranted removal of Endangered Species Act protections
for wolves in the Northern Rockies. The lawsuit is a last resort,
and only comes after exhausting all other reasonable options....
(Click on the link above for the complete
story.)
6/2/09: Wyoming
files wolf lawsuit
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Wyoming Attorney General's Office filed
a petition for review of final agency action with the U.S.
District Court for Wyoming today. The petition serves as a
legal challenge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decision
not to delist wolves in Wyoming... (Click on the link
above for the complete story.)
6/1/09: NRDC
slams Idaho, Montana wolf plans
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Billings Gazette includes a guest opinion
column by Louisa Willcox of the Northern Rockies Defense Council.
In the opinion piece, Willcox outlines the problems her organization
sees with wolf management plans adopted in Idaho and Montana,
which were approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
NRDC plans to challenge the plans, which provided the basis
for wolf delisting in those states, in federal court. Willcox
claims that federal plans for recovery don't provide for enough
wolves in the region, taking issue with Idaho's plan for a
fall wolf hunting season. In addition, Willcox claims that
the "Shoot, shovel and shut up" culture is alive
and well.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
6/1/09: Oregon
wolf update
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
is continuing to monitor the recently radio-collared male wolf
near the Keating Valley in Oregon. As expected, visual observations
by aircraft confirmed the presence of a second, smaller wolf
travelling with the radio-collared animal. Since collaring
the young male on May 3, the wolves have been located on 26
days. Most locations have been in upper-elevation forested
area. ODFW is awaiting results of genetic analysis of tissues
collected during the capture. The wolves being monitored were
involved in the April depredations of 24 sheep and a single
calf in the Keating Valley. In addition to active hazing, other
non-lethal methods have been employed including fladry (around
sheep pen), RAG box, burying of cow carcasses, radio receivers
to affected ranchers, and night penning of local sheep. No
depredations have been confirmed since April 17.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/30/09: Sweden
to allow more wolf hunts
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Reports indicate that Sweden may soon allow
increased wolf hunting, citing the need to cull a portion of
the highly-inbred population of about 220 animals to make room
for new bloodlines..... (Click on the link above for
the complete story.)
5/26/09: Wolf
located south of Lander
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports
that a radio-collared wolf from the Yellowstone Delta Pack
dispersed from the park some time in March, and was recently
located south of Lander. The collared wolf is a young female....
(Click on the link above for the complete story.)
5/26/09: Feds
explain wolf death
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Yellowstone National Park staff killed a
habituated wolf in the park on Tuesday morning along Fountain
Flat Drive. The wolf had repeatedly chased people and was frequently
observed in Biscuit Basin and the Old Faithful developed areas
in close proximity to park visitors. The wolf had reportedly
exhibited behaviors consistent with being conditioned to human
food. Yellowstone staff made attempts at hazing the wolf from
the area, only to have the wolf return and repeat this behavior.
The decision to remove the wolf from Yellowstone was made in
consultation with the United States Fish & Wildlife Service.
The park cautions visitors to not feed wildlife because it
conditions them and may result in habituation, making them
a potential danger to people and consequently may result in
their destruction. The removal of this wolf is not considered
to have a detrimental impact to the overall health and population
of wild, free roaming wolves in Yellowstone.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/26/09: Wolves
return to northern China
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Wolves are taking their toll on livestock
on the steppes of northern China, according to news accounts.
Herders have issued a plea for control of predating wolves,
and for hunting seasons to resume. In one district of China's
Inner Mongolia, herders have lost more than 600 sheep and 300
camels in the last two years, due to wolf depredation....
(Click on the link
above for the complete story.)
5/26/09: Wolf
reintroduction in southern Rockies?
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) WildEarth Guardians has called for wolves
to be reintroduced into Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado
and in north-central New Mexico.... (Click on the link
above for the complete story.) 5/26/09: Oregon:
move wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) An Oregon newspaper's editorial board has
taken the position that since wolves have been removed from
federal protection in that state, wolves that have preyed on
livestock need to be trapped and relocated away from private
property.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/22/09: Alaska
wolf harasses bicyclists
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports that
a wolf has been harasssing bicyclists in Denali National Park,
going so far as to chew on the handlebars on one bike and puncture
a beverage bottle on another, in separate incidents.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/20/09: Yellowstone
National Park kills nuisance wolf
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Yellowstone National Park wolf that has
chased bicyclists and a motorcyclist
in the park was killed by park staff on Tuesday....
(Click on the link above for the complete story.)
5/16/09: Yellowstone
wolf chases people
(By U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service) During winter 2009, the 17 wolves captured
near Jackson, WY were tested for 2 strains of Brucellosis (Brucella
canis and Brucella abortus). All 17 wolves tested negative
for Brucella canis and fifteen wolves tested negative for Brucella
abortus. Two wolves tested positive for Brucella abortus. Recently,
two separate situations in YNP with habituated wolves have
occurred. The annual Yellowstone Park Wolf Project Winter Study
took place in March 2009 examining wolf predation. Prey selection
and kill rate were typical for late winter: primarily bulls
and old cows were taken with few calves. A young wolf dispersing
probably from the Gibbon Meadows pack chased people on bicycles
and a motorcycle on several occasions. It is unclear how many
times as it appears the wolf has been illegally fed and this
and other incidences of habituation have gone unreported....
(Click on the link above for the complete story.)
5/11/09: Wolf
rhetoric remains
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Idaho Statesman takes a look at how the
wolf debate has changed, but the
rhetoric remains the same...
(Click on the link above for the complete story.)
5/11/09: Predators
alter cattle behavior
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A new paper in the journal “Behavioural
Processes” examines cattle response to
predator stimuli. With the research conducted by B. Kluever,
L. Howery, S.
Breck, and D. Bergman. In it, they conclude that wild and domestic
ungulates modify their behavior in the presence of olfactory
and visual cues of predators, but investigations have not exposed
a domestic species to a series of cues representing various
predators and other ungulate herbivores. Researchers measured
vigilance, foraging rates, giving up density (GUD) of high
quality foods and time spent in high quality forage locations
in
response to location of stimuli treatments...
(Click on the link above for the complete story.)
5/7/09: Montana
wolf reports
(By Montana Fish,
Wildlife and Parks) With the recent federal delisting of the
Rocky Mountain gray wolf in Montana, state wildlife officials
affirmed that a weekly online report will continue to chronicle
Montana’s wolf management efforts. FWP’s Montana
Wolf Weekly highlights the previous week’s activities
related to monitoring, wolf and livestock interaction, outreach,
education, research, law enforcement, and other topics. Contributors
to the Montana Wolf Weekly include FWP, USDA Wildlife Services,
the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Confederated
Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the Blackfeet Nation and others....
(Click on the link above for the
complete story.)
5/7/09: Wolf
litigation discussed
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Jackson Hole News and Guide has an interesting
article this week that "Wolf delisting might hinder Wyoming
ranchers." The interesting part is where attorneys for
the Natural Resources Defense Council and Earthjustice claim
that wolf delisting in Montana and Idaho may jeopardize the
legal status of Wyoming's wolf population, which is classified
as "nonessential, experimental." This is the status
granted to wolves when Canadian wolf populations were released
into the region... (Click on the link above for the
complete story.) 5/7/09: Wolves
den at Mammoth
(By Yellowstone
Insider) National
Park Service officials are getting to see wolves on a daily
basis now that
a wolf pack has taken
up residence just outside Mammoth, Yellowstone National Park's
headquarters... (Click on the link above for
the complete story.)
5/7/09: Wolves
delisted in Idaho, Montana
(By Idaho Department
of Fish and Game)
The federal rule that removes gray wolves in Idaho from the
endangered species list became final on Monday, May 4. The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's delisting rule affects wolves
in Idaho, Montana, parts of Washington, Oregon and Utah. Wolves
in Wyoming will remain on the endangered species list. Idaho
has again taken over managing wolves under state law adopted
in 2008 and under a wolf population management plan also adopted
last year. Under state law, wolves that are molesting or attacking
livestock or domestic animals may be killed by livestock or
animal owners without a permit from Fish and Game. But the
incident must be reported to the Fish and Game director within
72 hours. The wolves killed would remain the property of the
state. Livestock and domestic animal owners may take all nonlethal
steps they deem necessary to protect their property... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/7/09: Oregon
wolf collared
(By Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife)
A joint effort by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife specialists resulted in the
capture, radio-collaring, and release of a male wolf on May
3rd. The event marks the first radio-collaring of a wolf in
Oregon. The wolf captured and radio-collared was an 87-pound
male estimated to be about 2 years old. The track size and
a second, smaller wolf seen at the capture site indicate that
the wolf is one of two involved in several livestock depredations
in the Keating Valley area of Baker County over the past few
weeks... (Click on the link above for the complete story.) 4/28/09: Thirty-six
elk plunge to death
(By Echo Renner)
Thirty-six head of elk plunged to their death over a 150 – 200
foot rim rock on Carter Mountain west of Meeteetse in January.
Horn hunters discovered the carcasses last month, and reported
it to area landowners. Casualties were seven yearling males,
12 adult females, 10 calves, and seven unknown that slid down
over another cliff. Wyoming Game & Fish officials speculate
something spooked them. Wolves, helicopters, a storm were given
as possible guesses as to why they went over. Grizzly bear
predation does occur in the area, however they were still in
hibernation at the time of this event. Wolves are active in
the area with known predation on area ranches. The reason for
this plunge of death will probably remain a mystery forever....
(Click on the link above for the complete story.)
4/20/09: Wyoming
wolf update
(By U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service) USFWS reports (past weekly and annual reports) , and
the Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery 2008 Annual Report on the
status of Gray Wolf Management in Wyoming are available online.
The Final Rule to Establish a Gray Wolf – Northern Rocky
Mountain Distinct Population Segment and Remove it from the
Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Species becomes effective
May 4, 2009. Approximately 60% of the packs in the Northern
Range in Yellowstone National Park have denned; however, no
interior pack dens have been confirmed. To request an investigation
of livestock injured or killed by wolves, please contact the
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Wildlife Services at (307)261-5336.....
(Click on the link above for the complete story.) 4/20/09: Winter,
wolves, take toll on deer
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Chronicle Journal of Thunder Bay, Ontario,
Canada reports that two bad winters and heavy predation by
wolves are taking a hard toll on the local deer population.
The number of deer in the region has crashed by half, and officials
estimate that 40 percent of fawns could be stillborn this spring....
(Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
4/18/09: Camera
catches lamb-killing wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Remote cameras captured images of two wolves responsible
for killing penned lambs in Oregon.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
4/13/09: Wandering
Colorado wolf dead
(By U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service) The radio collar transmissions from the female
wolf travelling in Northwestern CO stopped moving at the end
of March, 2009. Investigators from the Colorado Division of
Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service responded and
retrieved her carcass. Those investigators are working toward
determining the cause of death, which was unknown as of April
8th, 2009. Anyone with information regarding the death of this
wolf is urged to call the Colorado Division of Wildlife at
1-877-COLO-OGT or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 970
257-0795.... (Click on
the link above for the complete story.)
4/13/09: Details
of proposed wolf delisting litigation
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Wyoming Wolf Coalition has submitted
its notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
for excluding Wyoming from its wolf delisting rule. The coalition
consists of associations and entities comprised of the Wyoming
Wool Growers Association, Wyoming Stock Growers Association,
Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts, Rocky Mountain
Farmers Union, Wyoming Outfitters & Guides Association,
Wyoming Association of County Predatory Animal Boards, Cody
Country Outfitters and Guides Association, Predator Management
District of Niobrara County, Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife
Wyoming, and Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation. The notice of
intent to use states that Wyoming Wolf Coalition members "intend
to file a civil action for the purpose of enjoining the FWS
from violating and continuing to violate the Endangered Species
Act, its implementing regulations, FWS policies, and the applicable
interagency peer review guidelines. The Wyoming Wolf Coalition
also intends to seek an injunction requiring the FWS to undertake
an environmental impact statement of its decision to delist
the Canadian gray wolf in Idaho and Montana, and in parts of
Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and to exclude Wyoming from the
delisting rule."... (Click on
the link above for the complete story.)
4/11/09: Montana
supports wolf delisting
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Montana legislature has approved a resolution
supporting wolf delisting and
urging state officials to defend against legal challenges to
delisting.... (Click on the link above for
the complete story.)
4/11/09: Wolves
photographed in Big Horns
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Gillette News Record has a full account
of the recent wolf photographs taken by remote camera in the
Big Horn Mountains.... (Click on the link
above for the complete story.)
4/8/09: Idaho
debates non-native species bill
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Idaho Statesman reports that the Idaho
legislature is debating a bill that would make introducing
non-native species a felony. The bill is a result over the
ongoing controversy over the release of Canadian wolves into
the state, and wolf management... (Click on the
link above for the complete story.) 4/8/09: Ovaries
harvested from Mexican wolf
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Lewisboro, New York-based LewisboroLedger.com
is reporting that the International Wolf Center has spayed
on older female Mexican wolf, a member of an endangered species,
and harvested her ovaries. The center apparently hopes to be
able to use the eggs harvested from her ovaries in a potential
future in vitro fertilization program... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
4/5/09: Wyoming
wolf update
(By U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service) The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service estimated there
were at least 178 wolves and at least 30 packs in Wyoming (outside
YNP). The census period ends on December 31st of each year.
They continue collecting population data for the upcoming year.
So far in 2009, at least 2 additional packs have been identified
and 1 possible pack may have formed last summer.... (Click on the link above
for the complete story.)
4/5/09: Final
wolf delisting rule published
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has published
the final rule delisting wolves in the Montana and Idaho portions
of the Northern Rocky Mountain wolf population, but leaving
wolves under federal protection in Wyoming. The delisting rule
will take effect May 4, 2009... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 4/5/09: Wyoming
prepares wolf lawsuit
(By Wyoming Governor
press release)
The State of Wyoming announced that it will challenge in federal
court a decision by the U.S. Department of Interior to remove
gray wolves from the Endangered Species List in Montana and
Idaho, but not in Wyoming.... (Click on the link above
for the complete story.)
4/5/09: Isle
Royale wolves suffer from inbreeding
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!)
Every one of the dead wolves from Isle Royale examined by researchers
in a 12-year period showed bone deformities, indicating that
wolf population is suffering from inbreeding. Researchers are
now pondering whether humans should step in and attempt to "rescue" this
wolf population by augmentation, raising ethical considerations....
(Click on
the link above for the complete story.)
4/5/09: Enviros
to sue over wolf delisting
(By Earthjustice) In response to
delisting in Idaho and Montana, environmental law firm Earthjustice
issued a press release notifying of their intention to ask
a federal court to reinstate federal Endangered Species Act
protections for wolves in the northern Rockies. Earthjustice
says wolf numbers still are not strong enough and the conservation
groups they represent do not feel the state plans responsibly
manage wolves.... (Click on the link above for the
complete story.) 4/5/09: Challenge
to lethal wolf control moves forward
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A legal challenge
over the Mexican wolf recovery program will move forward, a
judge has ruled. Defenders of Wildlife and other environmental
groups are seeking to overturn the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
rule that provides for control of wolves that prey on livestock,
among other issues... (Click on the link above for the complete
story.)
3/30/09: The
Cody elk/wolf problem
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Wyoming Game
and Fish Department has organized a nine-member working group
to help the agency address problems with the elk population
in the Cody region. WG&F is focusing the working group’s
efforts on the declining numbers of bull elk in the Sunlight-Crandall
portion of the Clarks Fork Elk Herd Unit. One of the items
of interest is during the last 20 years, elk have undergone
a major shift to private lands during winter. The elk that
moved onto private lands have become non-migratory, apparently
sticking to the security of the private property in response
to predation.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/30/09: Predation
on Jackson elk
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Wyoming Game
and Fish Department reports that the ration of elk calves to
cows is nearly twice as high for elk located on private property
in the Jackson region.... (Click on the link above for the
complete story.)
3/30/09: Moose
licenses drop from 500 to 40
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Wyoming Game
and Fish Department reports that the Jackson moose herd appears
to be continuing its downward trend with fewer total animals
being observed during this winter’s aerial surveys. Also,
there were fewer calves counted, which doesn’t bode well
for the future of this herd. WG&F has continually reduced
the number of hunting licenses for the Jackson moose herd over
the past several years. When moose numbers were strong back
in the early 1990s, there were nearly 500 licenses being offered
in the Jackson moose herd. This year WG&F is down to offering
just 40 licenses.... (Click on the link above for the complete
story.)
3/24/09: Wolf
back in Colorado
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service reports that the female wolf that has
roamed in five states, raising some hopes and expectations
from Colorado wolf advocates, then venturing back into Wyoming
and dashing those hopes, has once again been located back in
Colorado. The female wolf had dispersed from southwestern Montana
last year before traveling through Wyoming, southeastern Idaho,
northeastern Utah, northern Colorado, and then back to south
central Wyoming. She was recently located again in north central
Colorado.... (Click on the link above for the
complete story.)
3/25/09: Idaho
sets wolf hunting seasons
(By Idaho Department
of Fish and Game) Idaho Fish and
Game Commission Tuesday, March 24, adopted big game seasons
as recommended by Fish and Game biologists, with a few last
minute changes in response to public comments..... (Click on the link above for the
complete story.)
3/24/09: Alberta
ranches under wolf attack
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Ranchers in Alberta,
Canada, are complaining about increasing wolf attacks on their
cattle. Provincial wildlife managers say culling the wolf population
is not an option.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/20/09: Alaska
halts helicopter wolf gunning
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Alaska wildlife
officials have halted their wolf control program using helicopter
gunners after recent snow loss left conditions less than ideal.
But they had succeeded in killing 66 wolves in five days, all
in an effort to save a caribou herd in jeopardy.... (Click on the
link above for the complete story.) 3/20/09: Idaho
hazes wolf pack
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) State wildlife
officials hazed the 10-member Phantom Hill wolf pack away from
Sun Valley, Idaho-area subdivisions this week. The pack was
chased with a low-flying helicopter.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 3/20/09: Mangy
wolf killed at Gardiner
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Federal wildlife
officials killed a wolf near the Gardiner, Montana area. The
wolf was badly infested with mange. A kill order was also issued
for two Montana wolves that attacked and injured a livestock
guardian dog and a domestic goat in the Helena area... (Click on the link above for the complete story.)
3/18/09: Northern
Rockies wolf report for 2008 available
(By U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service)
The gray wolf population in the Northern Rocky Mountains continues
to thrive. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and
its federal, state and tribal partners estimated at the end
of 2008 there were 1,645 wolves in 217 packs in Montana, Idaho,
and Wyoming. At least 95 of those packs contained at least
1 adult male, 1 adult female, and 2 pups on December 31, 2008,
meeting the recovery goal description of a breeding pair....
(Click on the link above for
the complete story.)
3/18/09: Alaska
changes wolf control program
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
In attempt to boost caribou numbers in Alaska, state wildlife
officials are now shooting wolves
out of a helicopter. The action has raised the ire of some
observers, including park service officials.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/18/09: Wolves
encroaching on Idaho town
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
Idaho wildlife officials are now considering hazing the 10-member
Phantom Hill wolf pack as it has been encroaching on the town
of Hailey, Idaho.... (Click on the link above for the
complete story.)
3/18/09: Idaho
wolf update
(Idaho Fish and Game Department monthly
report)
Aerial telemetry flights and end-of-year counts are completed,
and the annual report is being wrapped up. The minimum population
estimates for 2008 are 846 wolves for Idaho, in 88 packs, 39
breeding pairs. This is about a 15 percent increase over the
2007 minimum population estimate of 732. From January 1 – February
28, agencies have documented five dead wolves in Idaho. Of
those, four were depredation control actions by Wildlife Services,
and one was an illegal kill..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/15/09: Wolf
wanders back to Wyoming
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports today that the wandering
wolf that has travelled through parts of five states has now
returned to Wyoming. According to FWS, "In early winter
2008, a female wolf dispersed from SW Montana and traveled
through Wyoming, southeastern Idaho, northern Utah, and Colorado.
Recent location data indicate the wolf is traveling through
south central Wyoming.... (Click on
the link above for the complete story.)
3/15/09: Wolves,
dogs conflict in Montana
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
Montana News Station has an article about recent conflicts
between lion hounds and wolves in the Bitterroot..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/11/09: Coastal
wolves unique
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
Researchers suggest that coastal wolves - those animals living
in coastal regions of Alaska and Canada - are unique animals
in need of recognition and protection..... (Click on
the link above for the complete story.) 3/11/09: Wisconsin
deer thump wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
The Wisconsin State Journal has a fascinating article about
something researchers believe happens, but is rarely witnessed.
In this case, a man witnessed white-tailed deer battling gray
wolves.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/7/09: Wolves
dispersing here and there
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
reports that it is a well documented fact that wolves can disperse
extremely long distances, frequently over 500 miles and across
huge expanses of habitat unsuitable for wolf pack persistence.
Routine long distance dispersals are common and provide further
evidence that genetic connectivity in the NRM wolf population
is and will remain extremely high and is not a long term wolf
conservation issue... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 3/7/09: DOI
affirms wolf delisting
(By U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
press release)
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar affirmed the decision
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove gray wolves
from the list of threatened and endangered species in the western
Great Lakes and the Northern Rocky Mountain states of Idaho
and Montana and parts of Washington, Oregon and Utah. Wolves
will remain a protected species in Wyoming. The Service will
now send the delisting regulation to the Federal Register for
publication. The Service decided to delist the wolf in Idaho
and Montana because they have approved state wolf management
plans in place that will ensure the conservation of the species
in the future. At the same time, the Service determined wolves
in Wyoming would still be listed under the Act because (they
contend) Wyoming’s current state law and wolf management
plan are not sufficient to conserve its portion of northern
Rocky Mountain wolf population.... (Click on the link
above for the complete story.) 3/7/09: Yellowstone
wolf numbers down, elk up
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
In January, Yellowstone National Park issued a press release
reporting that while wolf numbers are declining in the park,
elk numbers on the Northern Range are up. The reduction in
wolf numbers is the first drop in the park in three years.
The Yellowstone Wolf Project reports the 2008 population at
124 wolves, down 27 percent from the 171 wolves recorded in
2007. This year’s elk count was slightly higher than
the counts during the three previous winters. The slight increase
in elk counted during winter 2009 compared to the three previous
winters may reflect favorable counting conditions, a reduction
in the hunter harvest of antler-less elk, and a reduction in
wolf predation owing to a fairly large decrease in wolf numbers
during the summer of 2008... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 3/7/09: Hunter
reports of wolf presence accurate
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
Recent research found a strong correlation between the number
of wolves detected by hunters and the density of wolves in
each of four Montana study areas, suggesting hunters’ observations
are reasonably accurate. More about this is in a new research
paper, "Developing Wolf Population Monitoring Techniques."..(Click on the
link above for the complete story.) 3/7/09: Wolves
kill six llamas on animal rescue ranch in Montana
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has reported recent
wolf depredation in Montana, including six llamas over two
nights on a large animal rescue ranch near Niarada in February.
Tracks from at least two wolves were found going in and out
of the pasture holding approximately 750 llamas. After the
installation of three-quarter of a mile of turbo-fladry, no
more depredations have been reported....(Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 3/7/09: Wisconsin
wolf numbers up
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
The Sun-Times News Group reports that wolf numbers in Wisconsin
are up
slightly. With about 550 wolves, state biologists believe the
wolf population has
reached its saturation point....(Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/4/09: Isle
Royale wolf population inbred
(By Wyoming Game and Fish Department)
"Congenital bone deformities and the inbred wolves (Canis
lupus) of Isle Royale" is the title of a new research
paper published in Biological Conservation, by researchers
Jannikke Ralkkonen, John Vucetich, Rolf Petersen, and Michael
Nelson. The wolf (Canis lupus) population on Isle Royale, a
remote island in Lake Superior, North America, is extremely
inbred. ...(Click on the link
above for the complete story.) 3/4/09: Staying
safe in predator country
(By Wyoming Game and Fish Department)
Wildlife officials are encouraging people to attend one of
the upcoming public workshops titled "Staying Safe in
Bear, Lion and Wolf Country". These workshops are free
to the public and will be offered in both Jackson and Pinedale
this spring. Anyone who spends time in bear and lion country
is encouraged to attend. The three-hour evening workshop will
be held in Pinedale on March 18 from 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.,
at the Pinedale Game and Fish office...(Click on
the link above for the complete story.)
3/4/09: More
on wandering wolf
(By U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
An 18 month old female wolf that was originally radio collared
in southwesters Montana dispersed from her natal pack in September
2008. She has traveled from Montana, through parts of western
Wyoming, southeastern Idaho, and northeastern Utah.Last week,
locations from her GPS satellite collar indicated she was near
Vail, Colorado, approximately 450 (straight-line) miles from
her natal home range... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/28/09: Wyoming
wants to test wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
Wyoming State lawmakers want to determine the prevalence of
brucellosis in wolves, and
are proposing legislation to that end. If the bill passes,
it will allocate $45,000
to draw blood samples from any wolves captured or killed in
the state, to allow
the blood to be tested for brucellosis...(Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/28/09: Montana
hunters demand wolf delisting
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
A protest was held outside the offices of the Montana Fish,
Wildlife and Parks office this weekend by hunters demanding
that wolves be removed from federal
protection....
(Click on the link above for the complete story.)
2/28/09: Idaho
proposes killing wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
Idaho wildlife officials will soon ask for federal approval
of their plan to kill up to about 100 wolves in the Lolo area....
(Click on the link
above for the complete story.)
2/25/09: Yellowstone
wolf in Colorado
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
A wolf from Yellowstone National Park is being tracked as it
roams in Colorado. According to a news account from KMGH in
Denver, the wolf has been tracked since September as it traveled
in five states. She was collared in Montana, traveled south
through Yellowstone and the Bridger-Teton National Forest,
cruised southeastern Idaho and northern Utah before jaunting
over to Eagle County, Colorado.... (Click on the link
above for the complete story.)
2/23/09: Jackson
wolves may have mange
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that February 11-13,
FWS biologists aerial darted and radio collard 15 wolves in
three packs near Jackson. All 5 wolves collared in the Antelope
Pack had significant hair loss and skin irritation, indicating
they were possibly infected with mange. None of the captured
wolves from the other two packs displayed signs on mange. FWS
will continue routine winter capture and collaring efforts
in Wyoming until the end of March... (Click on the
link above for the complete story.)
2/22/09: Hunting
dogs killed by wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has an excellent
website with information on hunting dog depredations by wolves.
In response to the high number of dog depredations in recent
years, the state DNR maps "caution" areas for hunters.
The site also includes a mapping system so that you can examine
territories of individual wolf packs...
(Click on the link above for the complete story.)
2/22/09: Idaho
calculates revenue loss from wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
Idaho is losing as much as $24 million a year in hunting-related
revenue due to wolves killing big game animals. That's the
calculation offered by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game...
(Click on the link above for the complete story.)
2/22/09: Wolf
return to Oregon pondered
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
A recent wolf sighting near Bend, Oregon has folks there questioning
whether
wolves have returned to the state, or where the animal might
have come from.
..
(Click on the link above for the complete story.)
2/11/09: Wind
River Indian Reservation wolf management
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
While Wyoming and other Rocky Mountain states struggle to deal
with wolf management issues, Wind River Indian Reservation
officials have their own wolf management plan. According to
the tribal plan, "Tribes will manage wolves independently
and are not subject to the number of packs required to be maintained
for recovery in areas of Wyoming outside of Yellowstone National
Park. At this time, the Tribes do not designate a specific
number of individuals or packs for which it will manage."..
(Click on the link above for the complete story.)
2/11/09: Dealing
with habituated wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
Did you know that Yellowstone National Park has a written
plan
in place for dealing with habituated wolves? The plan
was written in 2003, after several years of incidents involving
wolves showing no fear of humans, and actually approaching
humans. According to the YNP plan, "Our first response
to a report of a habituated or unafraid wolf would be to warn
and educate the public, increase our monitoring intensity,
and visit the site where problems were reported. This would
primarily be to gather more data, allowing formulation of future
responses if necessary. If the problem continues we would negatively
condition the animal with cracker shells, bean bag rounds,
or rubber bullets, all proven to be non-injurious deterrents.
If hazing fails, then the final step would be wolf removal."...
(Click on the link
above for the complete story.)
2/7/09: Idaho
plans for wolf management
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
Idaho Fish and Game wildlife managers are making plans for
managing wolves, including a possible hunting season, should
they be removed from the endangered species list as proposed
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Fish and Game biologists
are updating data, reviewing conflict levels, population status
and harvest objectives for a fall 2009 wolf hunting season
should the animals be delisted.... (Click on the link above for
the complete story.) 2/7/09: Wolf
management in MT
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, through an interagency cooperative
agreement, is still the lead agency for all wolf conservation
and management in the state of Montana (within the bounds of
federal regulations) so long as adequate federal funding continues
to be made available..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 2/7/09: Wolf
control in Alaska
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
While many news outlets are calling it a "cat fight" between
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and animal activist Ashley Judd,
Alaska's aerial gunning program for wolves is once again in
the spotlight, pleasing Defenders of Wildlife, the organization
Judd is promoting in the process. For the real deal on what's
happening in wolf control in Alaska, read the story by the
Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Alaska is home to the distinct
Alexander Archipelago wolf, which you can also learn about
from that site.... (Click on the link above for the complete
story.)
2/7/09: Wolves
cause drop in MT elk population
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!)
The Great Falls Tribune is reporting that a study conducted
by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has concluded that wolves
have caused a drop in some elk populations..... (Click on the link above for the
complete story.)
2/5/09: Idaho
looks to export wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!) Planning
ahead, Idaho legislators are in the process of enacting legislation
that would allow
the state wildlife agency to export wolves to other states,
once the species has been removed from federal protection....
(Click on the link above for
the complete story.)
1/29/09: Walkabout
wolves and wolf update
(By US Fish & Wildlife Service Wolf
Report) WYOMING WOLF WEEKLY- Jan. 9, 2009
through Jan. 23, 2009....
(Click on the link above for
the complete story.)
1/29/09: Wolf
shot in South Dakota
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!) The
Argus Leader reports that a coyote hunter shot and killed a
wolf in South Dakota this week. The 70-pound female wolf was
killed in Roberts County.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/28/09: Wolf
hearing Friday morning
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!) The Wyoming Legislature's
House Travel, Recreation and Wildlife Committee will hold a
hearing on the six wolf bills pending in the house. The hearing
is slated for 7 a.m., Friday January 30, 2009 in Room 302 of
the Wyoming Capitol in Cheyenne. For individuals unable to
travel to Cheyenne, selected video conferencing sites in northwestern
Wyoming will be open to the public. Video conferencing sites
will be available in Cody, Afton, Jackson, Lander and Pinedale.... (Click on the link above
for the complete story.)
1/28/09: Wolf
confirmed near Buffalo
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!) It
appears a lone wolf has been making its presence known near
Buffalo,
Wyoming.... (Click on the link above for
the complete story.)
1/22/09: Obama
halts wolf delisting
(By Center for Biological Diversity
press release) President
Barack Obama has issued a freeze on publication of federal
regulations planned under the previous administration but not
yet published in the Federal Register. This action, which will
give the new administration a chance to review Bush-era policy
decisions, will delay and possibly prevent the premature removal
of gray wolves from the endangered species list in Montana,
Idaho, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, and portions of Washington,
Oregon, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana,
and Ohio. According to Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological
Diversity, the pause will afford President Obama and Secretary
of the Interior Ken Salazar the opportunity to rethink the
previous administration’s efforts to remove wolves from
the endangered species list... (Click on the link above for
the complete story.) 1/22/09: Idaho
wolves at a glance
(By Idaho Fish and Game Department) As
of the end of 2008, tentative numbers are 824 wolves, 88 packs
of which 38 are considered breeding pairs. About 1,500 are
found in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. 84 wolves in 50 packs
had radio collars in December 2008. If the delisting rule goes
into effect, Idaho Fish and Game would be the lead agency in
Idaho wolf management.... (Click on the link above for
the complete story.)
1/22/09: Wolves
impact elk grazing
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!) "Risk
effects in elk: Sex-specific responses in grazing and browsing
due to predation risk from wolves" is an article by D.
Christianson and S. Creel in the journal Behavioral
Ecology.... (Click on the link above for
the complete story.)
1/19/09: Hunting
decline changes natural order
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!) Matthew
Teague has an interesting article posted on Sports Illustrated
Vault. The
article is "How the decline of hunting is changing the
natural order." It's a long
article and well worth the read..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/19/09: Senate
passes wolf compensation bill
(By U.S. Senator Jon Tester press release) On
Thursday, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan "Wolf
Kill Bill" by Senators
Jon Tester and John Barrasso, R-Wyo. The measure, officially
called the Wolf Livestock Loss Mitigation Act, was included
in a major public lands bill. In Montana, the Wolf Kill Bill
authorizes federal money from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
to boost Montana’s livestock loss fund. That fund repays
Montana ranchers the full market value of animals killed by
wolves. The Wolf Kill Bill will also minimize wolf kills in
states like Montana and Wyoming by allowing federal grants
to improve fencing, improve grazing practices, and to encourage
the use of guard dogs. The measure is expected to pass the
U.S. House of Representatives next week before going to President
Obama to be signed into law.....
(Click on the link above for the complete
story.)
1/19/09: Time
to manage wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!) Scientific
American magazine online has dusted off an old article from
2003 and put it back into
the spotlight this week. It's called "The Gray Wolf: Out
of the Woods?" Short and to the point, the article by
Emily Harrison notes that after years of cries to "save
the wolf," recovery has been achieved, and now it's time
to manage our nation's wolf populations.... (Click on the link above for the complete
story.)
1/16/09: Wyoming
left out of wolf delisting
(By U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) Wyoming
wolves still need Endangered Species Act protection, according
to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, due to a lack of adequate
regulatory mechanisms ensuring their protection under state
law. Wolves in the western Great Lakes population and portions
of the northern Rocky Mountain populations have been removed
from ESA protection. Wolves in other parts of the 48 states,
including the Southwest wolf population, remain endangered
and are not affected by the actions taken.... (Click on the link above for the complete
story.)
1/16/09: Enviros
plan to sue over delisting
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!) The
Wyoming Chapter of the Sierra Club has pledged to sue over
the latest FWS wolf delisting rule. Sierra Club issued a press
release stating in part, “Removing federal protections
for wolves will leave them at the mercy of aggressive state
plans
that
treat wolves as pests rather than a valuable wildlife resource.
Releasing yet another flawed delisting rule is simply a last
ditch attempt to remove protections for wolves before the Bush
administration leaves office."... (Click on the
link above for the complete story.)
1/16/09: Defenders
pledges wolf lawsuit
(By Defenders of
Wildlife) Defenders
of Wildlife weighed in on the gray wolf delisting by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, calling it an “attempt to
prematurely strip wolves of legal protection before the clock
runs out next Tuesday on the most anti-environment administration
in American history.” .. (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/13/09: Yellowstone
wolf numbers decline
(By National Park Service) The
number of wolves in Yellowstone National Park declined last
year. It’s the first drop in wolf numbers in the park
in three years. The Yellowstone Wolf Project reports the 2008
population at 124 wolves, down 27 percent from the 171 wolves
recorded in 2007. Previous population declines in 1999 and
2005 were attributed to the impacts of disease, especially
on wolf pups. This past year, distemper, mange, and wolves
killing each other are the likely causes of the population
decline... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/9/09: Wolf
hunting reinstated in Macedonia
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!) The
Newropeans online magazine has an interesting article detailing
how the ban on wolf hunting in Macedonia has been set aside
after numerous recent conflicts with wolves, of which number
in the "many." Macedonia, once part of Yugoslavia,
is an independent state in southeastern Europe...
(Click on the link above for the complete story.)
1/6/09: Wolves
spotted on Muddy Mountain
(By Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!) The
Casper Star-Tribune reports that two wolves have been spotted
in the Muddy Mountain area about 30 miles south of Casper....
Click on the link above for
the complete story.)
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