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TechnoratiEnvironmentalists Sue Over Rule That Would Allow Killing of Wolves
BILLINGS, MONT. -- Environmental groups have sued to block a federal rule that would allow state wildlife agents and private citizens to kill more endangered gray wolves in the northern Rockies.
Federal officials want to empower state wildlife agencies to kill off packs of wolves in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana if they are having a "major impact" on big-game herds, particularly elk. The rule also would allow for the killing of wolves caught attacking stock animals or dogs.
Environmental groups say that as many as 600 of the region's 1,500 wolves could be killed. Seven groups announced Monday they had filed suit in U.S. District Court in Missoula to block the rule.
Wolves rebounded from near-extinction in the region over the last decade, after they were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho.
Earthjustice attorney Doug Honnold, who filed the suit on behalf of the groups, said the federal government had caved to pressure from state officials who "want to kill those wolves as soon as possible."
State and federal officials responded Monday that far fewer wolves -- possibly in the dozens -- would be killed.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is preparing to remove wolves from the endangered species list next month. All three states could then set public hunting and trapping seasons for wolves. If the number of wolves dropped below 300, they would be relisted.
© 2008 Associated Press
12 Comments so far
Show AllDREAMERTOO
i've just sent an email to CITES in geneva as well. i'm sure it's illegal to kill endangered species........we'll see.
DREAMERTOO
i looked at that link you gave and i want to sign the petition. being as i am not a u.s. citizen and don't have a representative can i still do it?? thanks, coco
"..
Wolf reintroduction in the western U.S. was a national effort, and wolves belong to the American public.
Wolves were exterminated in the west by the 1930's after predator-control programs had targeted them for decades. Settlers moving west depleted most of wolves' prey (bison, deer, elk, and moose), and wolves increasingly turned to sheep and cattle as replacement prey. To protect livestock, ranchers and government agencies began the wolf eradication campaign. Astonishingly, bounty programs initiated in the 19th century continued as late as 1965.
After an absence of more than 50 years, the national public demanded reintroduction, and the USFWS brought a total of 66 wild gray wolves from Canada to Yellowstone and to Idaho's Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area.
Wolves in the west are now enjoyed by people from all over the country and world, residing largely on public lands. Wolves are "owned" by no one, but are a species of national trust and are to be enjoyed by all.
.."
"Send a message to your Representative and help block this disastrous proposal!"
www.CallOffTheGuns.org
Natural Resources Defense Council
There are yet only 1500? And they'd be relisted if the number drops below 300? Alright, let's talk numbers. 1500 individuals in a three-state region is a good number. Probably close to what the area supports. They're predators, after all: they balance precariously at the top of the food chain. And KEM is absolutely right about their valuable role in checking rodent populations and culling the weaker individuals of other wild populations. But to let their numbers drop down to 300 by allowing hunting (through being de-listed as endangered) is stupid. Hunting any kind of top predator in an ecosystem is idiotic in my opinion. And big-game hunters can suck my left heel as they cry about losing opportunities to hunt elk for sport. Grow up, deal with it, and leave the wolves alone.
I'd say simple sauce hit the nail on the head on that one. dubyuhs dumbass rethug buddies at it again, what idiotic tripe!! ELK herds fer christ! sake they're just big deer, & all over the place around here. wolves pretty fricking rare though.
irksome fools on the warpath again, ergh!
Again, I believe it is easily demonstrable that humans (through theft, cattle rustling, etc.) are responsible for more loss of livestock than wolves. Should it be open season on humans?
As a Minnesotan, one of the lower-48 with the largest gray wolf populations, I'm happy to share this land with such a beautiful animal.
The major diet of wolves is mice and other rodents. They will take down an injured, or sick elk or deer. It is far less common than most are led to believe.
Google,__ Never Cry Wolf. __ It is a wonderful book written by a man who lived in the wild for two years with a pack of wolves. He ate the same food they ate and howled at the moon when they did, they finally accepted his nearby presence.
But shooting defenseless animals is an aphrodisiac.
Does this mean that we also get to kill oil drillers who have "major impacts" on wildlife or natural ecosystems? What about Navy captains whose sonar "majorly impacts" whales? Or midwestern corporate farms whose runoff kills all aquatic life in the Gulf of Mexico? What about people who build roads that have "major impacts" on elk herds? What about state wildlife officials who have "major impacts" on elk herds by removing their predators and issuing hunting licenses?
Where I live the elk behave like livestock. In the absence of their natural predators they overgraze their ecosystems, get chronic wasting disease, and starve to death. And now this... Haven't we had enough yet?
"Your honor, I offer this as Exhibit 230,345,662A to establish the insanity of my client in the case of the People of Earth vs. Civilization."
Not a day goes by that I don't think to myself, "what in the hell is wrong with people?" This story definitely takes the cake today. How could harming even one wolf be justifiable under any circumstances? Haven't we learned one thing from the barbaric slaughter of indigenous animal populations? Leave the animals be.
If the wolves hunt the elk, well, so be it. They need to survive, too. As for the stock animals and dogs, well, so be that, too.
Let nature dictate for a change. I, for one, am sick of the disasters that man has created!
"if they are having a "major impact" on big-game herds, particularly elk."
What really makes my blood boil is when wolves get accused of killing too many elk! The rationale usually put forward is that they are depriving human hunters of their elk
Wolves are supposed to be hunting elk - they are their natural prey. They are the real hunters (as opposed to humans with guns) and should be admired for their skill, not shot down from helicopters.
'state and federal officials responded monday that far fewer wolves - possibly in the dozens - would be killed'
dozens is still far too many. these wolves are endangered animals and need to be protected NOT KILLED. especially in the cowardly way with aeriel shooting. i wish the environmental groups every success.