Despite overwhelming opposition, Idaho has asked for federal permission to kill 75% of the wolf population in the state’s Upper Clearwater Basin. Worse yet, they’ll keep killing wolves for the next five years, likely with airborne marksmen in planes using radio collars on the wolves to track them down and kill these helpless animals.
This decision was made despite the fact that the public overwhelmingly opposed such actions. Out of approximately 42,000 comments submitted to the state – 41,600 were against Idaho’s wolf killing plan (Source: Defenders of Wildlife).
The only thing holding the state back is that grey wolves are on the endangered species list, and as such, are protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). If not for the ESA, Idaho would have already started their widely opposed wolf killing program.
Idaho Wolf Misconception
Hunters think wolves are responsible for game loss. This is not true, game loss is a result of habitat loss. Hunters interested in thriving game populations need to elect politicians that have habitat-conservation agendas. Killing wolves that were just reintroduced is merely a temporary patch, and does not address the core problem of habitat loss. The wolf killing program also puts the reintroduction of wolves in the Northwest at risk as a whole, as Idaho is central to the regional effort.
Here’s a copy of the letter I wrote in opposition of Idaho’s wolf killing plans:
Please deny Idaho’s request to kill wolves in the Lolo district of the Clearwater National Forest. Using aerial gunners to kill the wolves is inhumane, and is not an effective solution to game control.
Alaska has received an onslaught of criticism in regard to their highly controversial wolf control program by use of aerial gunners, which was even shut down at one point.
The grey wolf recovery efforts are important to wolf recovery across the Northwest, and as a resident of Idaho I urge you to combat the real threat to the state’s game populations – habitat loss. Utilizing existing principles of Habitat-conservation planning can be used to help develop a sustainable solution that addresses the core problem of habitat loss.
The basic theory of Habitat-conservation planning is that plant and animal communities depend on a complex set of interconnecting systems, like humans depend on roadways and transit. Habitat-conservation planning provides additional benefits as well; communities unite to face problems that are independent of political boundaries, and city planners can utilize natural boundaries to aid in the planning of road and transit systems.
Please make the correct decision to not kill grey wolves, and focus on a sustainable solution that addresses the needs of not only Idaho’s wildlife and land, but that of it’s citizens as well.