Wolves BACK On The Endangered Species List
Just saw this posted by Tom over at the Black Bear Blog: Judge places gray wolf back on endangered species list.
Tom says this:
Judge Donald Molloy of the U.S. District Court in Missoula, Montana returned the Northern Rockies gray wolf back under the protection of the Endangered Species Act. One report stated that Molloy said he thought the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acted “prematurely” in removing the wolf from protection “despite scientific evidence”.
Once again this ruling shows us that science plays no role in the decisions that drive the Endangered Species Act or any kind of wildlife management programs for that matter. Whichever organization pushing or defending a lawsuit that can present the most emotional case wins, the rest can be put to hell.
Of course those who filed the lawsuit seeking the injunction are happy and stating that removing the wolf from protection will endanger its survival. The scientists, whose job it is to manage wildlife, say that is not true but obviously have little say in these matters anymore.
This is ludicrous. Just when I think nothing will surprise me any more, something does. I wouldn’t want this judge deciding a traffic ticket.
I personally feel the right decision was made by putting them back on the Endangered Species List. They should be protected.
July 20th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Thanks for stopping by, Rick! I’m curious as to why you feel they should be back on the list
July 20th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Basically my reason for that is they were hunted for so long that they almost became extinct. So just because they are making a come back doesn’t necessarily mean that we should open a season up again.
I don’t believe they make or create anymore damage to livestock or small game than coyotes and such. People would feel differently when they were all gone.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:48 am
I can’t believe one person can have so much authority.
@Rick - I’m not sure where you live, but I live in the heart of livestock country…and to assume that a 150 pound animal (wolves) that runs in packs has no more effect on livestock than a 45 pound animal (coyotes) that generally run alone is naive. Besides, coyotes are frequently hunted to keep the populations down around livestock - otherwise, they would put a big hurt on livestock. With no control, the wolves are decimating some ranchers. I know of one particular rancher that has lost an average of two calves per WEEK to wolves the last two months. A rancher simply cannot afford those kind of losses. As for the rest of wildlife - the wolves that have been introduced to the Rocky Mountains are nearly twice as large and run in much larger packs as the wolves that were native to this country - and nothing in this country has the ability to stand up against these non-native wolves. Nothing. Without control, wolves will significantly damage elk and deer populations - they already have in many areas - but without some sort of control, the loss is going to be beyond belief. I’ve witnessed first hand the result of the wolf introduction - and I find it despicable that this judge ignored the information given to him by wildlife biologists who study such things - and even the advice of the game biologist who headed the re-introduction of the wolf…he himself claimed that science maintains that wolves are sustained enough to withstand a hunting season. To ignore professional advice and listen to pitiful pleas of ignorance from people that don’t have to live with these dangerous predators, is plain folly.
July 21st, 2008 at 9:50 am
Tom, where I come from is the Northeast where we do not have Wolves so I guess you are correct in saying that I am naive. I was just commenting on what I know which obviously was not much so i guess I will stick with what I do know and that is whitetail deer. Thanks for your input.
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:37 am
Rick - I apologize for coming on so strong - after having lived with these critters and seeing the devastation they have caused - not only to wildlife, but especially to the many ranchers in the area…many whom I consider friends…I get very upset over the whole wolf issue. To see that they made it back off the endangered list, even if it is going to be temporary, is frustrating for us folk who have to live with these animals. What makes it worse is that the people who manage the wolves have even claimed that they can support a hunt for them, now - and you know they are going to error on the side of caution - meaning there are PLENTY of wolves. To make matters worse, the wolves that have been introduced back in this area are nearly twice the size of the wolves that were native to here and sometimes hunt in what are called “super packs” that can grow in size up to 25 wolves. A pack that size of 150 pound killing machines can be flat scary. That is why us Westerners are worried about this decision. Again, I’m sorry if I came across too strong, my blood was still boiling over this decision when I commented yesterday!
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:54 am
Tom, it’s water under the bridge. I did not know that it could be, was or is that bad. The way you describe it made the hair on my neck stand up straight as an arrow. I honestly hope things get ironed out and nobody get’s hurt in the process.
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:09 am