Action Will Put Wolves on "Express Train to Extinction"
Williams, Oregon – Big Wildlife roundly criticized the Bush Administration's announcement today to strip federal protections for gray wolves in the northern Rockies and Great Lakes. According to an Interior Department spokesperson, the Administration plans to remove the species from the federal endangered species list in the Northern Rockies and Great Lakes regions, though management of wolves in Wyoming will remain under federal authority. The announcement is expected to take effect in 30 days.
"The Endangered Species Act is supposed to put imperiled species on the road to recovery. But today's action by the Bush Administration to strip federal protections for the gray wolf will put wolves right back on the express train to extinction," said Brian Vincent, Communications Director for Big Wildlife.
Earlier this year, the Interior Department moved to lift safeguards for the Northern Rockies gray wolf. But the effort was blocked in federal court after conservation and animal welfare groups took legal action.
There are an estimated 1,500 wolves in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. Big Wildlife has argued that number is too low to maintain genetic diversity within the population. When today's announcement takes effect, "management" of the species will be handed over to states that have demonstrated an "open hostility" toward wolves, Big Wildlife said. For example, Idaho and Montana's wolf "management" plans permit hunting of wolves and place emphasis on aggressive lethal control of the species over non-lethal preventative measures.
Imperiled wolves are facing increasing threats. Big Wildlife said today's announcement by the Bush Administration will further put wolves at risk by removing an important safeguard for the species. The wildlife advocacy group said a record number of 245 wolves was killed last year by government agencies and ranchers in the Northern Rockies. Last November, Big Wildlife condemned the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Department and the federal agency, Wildlife Services, for killing all 27 wolves, including pups, of the Hog Heaven pack near Kalispell. But the organization said the elimination of the Hog Heaven pack was not an isolated incident. In 2008 alone, seven wolf packs were completely wiped out in the Big Sky state.
"With today's actions, nearly every wolf in the Northern Rockies and Great Lakes will have a target on its back," said Vincent.
Big Wildlife said the Bush Administration's action today would embolden the states to "manage" wolves even more aggressively. Instead of being "trigger happy," the group said agencies should use a suite of non-lethal measures and incentives to reduce conflicts with wolves.
For example, Radio Activated Guard (RAG) boxes, as well as the "turbofladry," have shown success in deterring wolves. When a radio-collared wolf steps onto a rancher’s land, the RAG boxes turn on a strobe light and a tape of different sounds, including people yelling, helicopters flying, glass breaking, and gunshots to scare the animal away. Fladry consists of a rope or wire that has strips of red or orange flagging along its length. The flagging acts as a psychological deterrent to wolves. When an electrified wire is added to the fladry, it is called 'Turbo-fladry'. The shock wolves receive when touching the wire conditions them to stay away. Other non-lethal methods include: erecting electric fencing, using guarding animals, penning animals at night, and installing motion detection lighting, strobes, and other devices that frighten wolves.
In cases where non-lethal measures are not practical, Big Wildlife said efforts should be made to move domestic animals off public lands and provide financial incentives to ranchers to set aside some private land as wolf conservation areas. In addition, the wildlife group has advocated offering tax breaks to ranchers who employ non-lethal methods.
"What we are seeing now is wolf 'management' through the barrel of a bazooka. By removing wolves from the endangered species list, the Bush Administration has declared open season on the animals," said Vincent.
Big Wildlife said it would take up the wolf issue with the Obama Administration soon.
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