WY Fish & Game Wants to Delist Wolves, Grizzlies

The argument that grizzlies can’t survive with fluctuations in the whitebark pine crop is a “red herring,” he said. “We don’t believe that argument has any content to it.-- Wyoming Game and Fish Department Director Scott Talbott

Just like with the wolves, a federal judge ruled that "adequate regulatory mechanisms aren’t in place" to protect grizzlies.

Also, within the next few weeks members of the governor’s policy staff will meet with key stakeholders about moving the wolves over to state management.

Talbott makes $137,249 a year! That's US government. You can't be too smart to be rich.

Good news. If you'd like to contact Scott regarding anything he says one of his short-term goals is to "improve our image and relationships with all our constituents whether those be private land owners, conservation groups..."

Listen to an interview where he describes all his goals here http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wpr/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1771294

Give him your thoughts on delisting aka eliminating wolves and grizzlies.

Scott Talbott

Director WY Game and Fish

(307) 777-4501

scott.talbott@wgf.state.wy.us

Conservationists Turn Back on Wolves

The feds decided to delist wolves in Montana and Idaho. 14 conservation groups had filed a suit to maintain Endangered Species protection for wolves. All but 4 of these groups backed down. The four who stood by the wolves are: Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Western Watersheds, Humane Society of the United States and the Friends of the Clearwater.

The 10 who agreed with USFWS and abandoned the wolves are: Cascadia Wildlands, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Hells Canyon Preservation Council, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council, Oregon Wild, Sierra Club and Wildlands Network.

The good news about the settlement is that wolves in Oregon, Washington, Utah and Wyoming are now listed endangered. 

The court case settlement can be viewed here: http://www.newwest.net/pdfs/NRM%20wolf%20settlement%20agreement%203.2011.pdf

Gray Wolves are Back to Judge Molloy

On June 2, 2009, Earthjustice filed suit on behalf of conservation groups challenging the decision to delist the wolves. But, once again the arrogant MT FWP, who are kneeling to ranchers, is out to stop them. The case is once again in the hands of Judge Donald Molloy.

FWP news release, "FWP will also oppose any preliminary injunction requests that seek to reinstate federal Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the northern Rockies."

"Montana’s wolf population is growing and is well protected by Montana law and well-managed under the state’s federally approved wolf conservation and management plan, [b.s.]" said Joe Maurier, director FWP in Helena. "Montanans have worked hard for more than a decade to recover wolves and FWP will work equally hard to ensure that wolves in Montana are managed under a highly regarded and science-based state plan." (livestock interests are the basis of the plan.)

MT Wolf Hunt This Fall

FWP has set the wolf quota to (get this) 26-165 !! FWP representatives had wanted it to be 0-207. (that zero is NOT a misprint)
Why 207? They were afraid the wolves would become listed again!
But, FWP commission said no to 207 and wanted the lower number because although the commission believes it’s biologically defensible, they weren’t sure it sends the right message — that Montana intends to maintain healthy wolf populations.

Something to take into consideration..

Federal standards require Montana to maintain 100 wolves in 10 breeding pairs. The state prefers a minimum of 150 wolves in 15 breeding pairs to ensure they don't fall under federal management again.

(They're like kids whose parents took away a toy for misbehaving then later gave it back. So, now they try to get away with as much as they can without going too far.)

Comments on the quotas will be taken until June 19th email FWP

Quotes are from an article in the HelenaIR

Call for end to USDA's wildlife killing agency

That's the title of an AP article I just found.
This is good news for wildlife and all of us who are sick and tired of the Department of Livestock slaughtering native species!

The article is from last week and states that "115 environmental groups signed onto a recent letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging him to abolish the U.S. Agriculture Department's Wildlife Services."

Currently tax payers are subsidizing a "$100 million program that kills more than 1 million wild animals annually, a program ranchers and farmers have defended for nearly a century as critical to protecting their livestock from predators."

Who oversees Wildlife Services? APHIS (surprise surprise)

What are some stats from this program? In 2007 121,524 carnivores were killed at the request of ranchers. As well as, "Hundreds of thousands of other animals, including ravens and raccoons, also are killed through the program." Black bears and endangered gray wolves are also among these according to the article.

Carol Bannerman, a spokeswoman for the USDA says that when they are given a request they review each individual project "and move ahead only if there would be no long-term negative impact on the environment." What does this mean? Like they haven't had a "long-term negative impact on the environment." The whole industry is a negative impact. They've been killing buffalo and wolves for 200 years to get land for their livestock.

As stated in 1874 by U.S. Representative Conger,
"They (buffalo) eat the grass. They trample upon the plains upon which our settlers desire to herd their cattle and their sheep. They range over the very pastures where the settlers keep their herds of cattle. They destroy the pasture."