Wolves Thrive In Montana, Idaho
And Wyoming As Status Debated
HAILEY, Idaho —(AP)— A central Idaho couple who favored wolf reintroduction in the 1990s now say they have changed their minds after their dogs were bitten by wolves near their home.
``I love animals, I always have,'' said Jennifer Swigert during a wolf management meeting Wednesday with officials from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. ``But this is insane. People are at a total risk of getting fanged up.''
About 50 people attended the meeting, equally split between those who want wolves removed and wolf supporters, the Idaho Mountain Express reported.
Lyne Stone, a wolf advocate and leader of the Boulder White Clouds Council, said the wolves ``were here to start with and they are one of the most beautiful, charismatic (animals) we have.''
Steve Nadeau, the state's large carnivore manager and wolf program supervisor for Fish and Game, said Idaho,
The wolves south of the freeway were reintroduced in central Idaho in 1995 as an ``experimental, nonessential population'' under the Endangered Species Act. Wolves there can legally be killed under a greater range of circumstances and without first getting permission from the Fish and Wildlife Service.
There are an estimated 500 to 600 wolves in Idaho.
``There are six times the number of animals required in Idaho for delisting purposes,'' said Nadeau. ``Our goal over the next few years is to delist wolves and manage them as a big game animal while maintaining a minimum of 15 packs of wolves in Idaho forever.''
Both Idaho and Montana have assumed daily management of wolves. But Wyoming wants to classify wolves as predators and allow them to be killed on sight, which has prevented the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from turning over wolf management to Wyoming officials.
Nadeau said that because the federal government and Wyoming officials cannot agree on a plan, the wolves cannot be delisted. That means officials in Idaho are currently managing conflicts with wolves rather than managing wolves.
``Clearly we would like to delist wolves, that's not anything we're keeping a secret,'' Nadeau said. ``The best course of action would be for people just to get used to wolves. They are here to stay.''
And Wyoming As Status Debated
HAILEY, Idaho —(AP)— A central Idaho couple who favored wolf reintroduction in the 1990s now say they have changed their minds after their dogs were bitten by wolves near their home.
``I love animals, I always have,'' said Jennifer Swigert during a wolf management meeting Wednesday with officials from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. ``But this is insane. People are at a total risk of getting fanged up.''
About 50 people attended the meeting, equally split between those who want wolves removed and wolf supporters, the Idaho Mountain Express reported.
Lyne Stone, a wolf advocate and leader of the Boulder White Clouds Council, said the wolves ``were here to start with and they are one of the most beautiful, charismatic (animals) we have.''
Steve Nadeau, the state's large carnivore manager and wolf program supervisor for Fish and Game, said Idaho,
Idaho officials took over day-to-day management of wolves south of Interstate 90 from the federal government in January. Wolves north of I-90 in the Idaho Panhandle are considered to be there naturally. They remain classified as an "endangered" species and are under the control of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In most instances, Fish and Wildlife Service officials must approve the killing of any wolf in the region.
The wolves south of the freeway were reintroduced in central Idaho in 1995 as an ``experimental, nonessential population'' under the Endangered Species Act. Wolves there can legally be killed under a greater range of circumstances and without first getting permission from the Fish and Wildlife Service.
There are an estimated 500 to 600 wolves in Idaho.
``There are six times the number of animals required in Idaho for delisting purposes,'' said Nadeau. ``Our goal over the next few years is to delist wolves and manage them as a big game animal while maintaining a minimum of 15 packs of wolves in Idaho forever.''
Both Idaho and Montana have assumed daily management of wolves. But Wyoming wants to classify wolves as predators and allow them to be killed on sight, which has prevented the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from turning over wolf management to Wyoming officials.
Nadeau said that because the federal government and Wyoming officials cannot agree on a plan, the wolves cannot be delisted. That means officials in Idaho are currently managing conflicts with wolves rather than managing wolves.
``Clearly we would like to delist wolves, that's not anything we're keeping a secret,'' Nadeau said. ``The best course of action would be for people just to get used to wolves. They are here to stay.''
......wonder if I could import it down here? I can't think of one single person, who is in favor of keeping the wolves they've shoved on us the last 8 years or so........