BigHornRam
Well-known member
More Fun Reading From the Wolf Huggers
Wyoming and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hold “landmark meeting” on Wyoming wolf plan
December 19th, 2006
Huge reduction in wolves could be the outcome of proposal.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service met Monday with Governor Dave Freudental and Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming and others in Cheyenne, to discuss the details of a new plan that would give Wyoming management of all wolves in the state outside of the National Parks. The plan would dramatically reduce wolf protection and is expected to lead to the direct killing of many packs of wolves.
Leading the discussion for the federal government was U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall, not Ed Bangs, the Northern Rockies wolf coordinator. Hall, who is the new head of the Service, was widely criticized when he was regional director of the Service in the Southwest for his antagonism toward wolves and ordering biologists his region to avoid using genetic analysis when making decisions about species. Conservation organizations who opposed his nomination said that he had politicized science in the Southwest, a common complaint about the Bush Administration
Story by Jared Miller. Casper Star Tribune.
At the present there are 23 groups of wolves in Wyoming outside Yellowstone Park. Wyoming, and folks in Wyoming would be allowed to reduce this to just seven packs. Approval of the plan would probably lead to direct aerial gunning down of wolves by the government. This would be relatively easy because, unlike the big wipeout of wolves a hundred years ago, now most packs have at least one radio collar.
To accommodate this, Wyoming legislature still needs to amend their proposed state wolf plan and talks may break down. Wyoming’s wolf plan had been rejected by the Service serval years ago for its failure to protect wolf recovery. Since then Wyoming has sued several times.
Some folks on this blog have suggested the Ed Bangs was behind this sudden change toward killing off wolves, but the presence of Hall indicates a decision at a higher level. This may be a “friendly” settlement of the lawsuit. That means the government backs off of its ability to prevail over Wyoming in the current lawsuit because it no longer believes in recovering wolves.
Approval of a Wyoming plan, would also pave the way for Idaho to reduce its strong wolf population. Many expect the Idaho Fish and Game Commission to eventually put forward a plan to reduce the current 650 wolves to around 150 wolves or 15 packs. Many expect these would reside mostly in the state’s wilderness areas, dramatically reducing opportunities for people to see the wolves or for the state of protect those that remain.
The article indicates Wyoming expects to be paid to “manage” the wolves, and negotiations may yet break down over that.
If this plan is adoptioned, it will be a rapid retreat from recovery. The government’s direction will be maintenance of token populations of wolves outside of Yellowstone and probably Montana which has a much more contemporary wolf management plan than Idaho. Because the Endangered Species Act requires recovery, not token populations, what is likely to be proposed may be illegal.
Entry Filed under: Wolves, Delisting, Wyoming wolves
1 Comment Add your own
1. Robert Hoskins | December 19th, 2006 at 9:36 am
It has been my opinion that this goes even above Dale Hall to Kempthorne and Freudenthal. In any case, the outcome of this latest imbroglio depends upon how aggressive conservationists are in working against the proposalt.
The comments of Earthjustice’s Abigail Dillon in the above story do not appear to reflect a willingess at Earthjustice to be aggressive in this matter, even though Earthjustice has intervened in the Wyoming lawsuit against the feds, representing various conservation groups.
I recall that Earthjustice failed to challenge the settlement between Wyoming and the feds over vaccinating elk on the National Elk Refuge some years back, even though Earthjustice’s clients had been granted formal intervenor status in Wyoming’s lawsuit against the Refuge over vaccination. The State lost that lawsui in federal district court and at the 10th Circuitt, but after Bush II entered office, a deal was worked out between Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer and Tom Sansonetti with the U. S. Department of Justice. Sansonetti is a Republican hack lawyer from Cheyenne appointed to USDOJ.
The deal did considerable damage to the National Elk Refuge and the national wildlife refuge system by giving a state more authority to dictate wildlife management on the Refuge, in this case, for the benefit of the livestock industry, which is behind Wyoming’s mismanagement of elk throughout western Wyoming.
So the question is, just how much courage has Earthjustice got?
Links
Alan Gregory’s Conservation News
Regional Webcams
Sinapu
Western Watersheds Project
Wolf Photos
Wolf Recovery Foundation
Wyoming Outdoor Council
Recent comments
Robert Hoskins on Wyoming and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hold "landmark meeting" on Wyoming wolf plan
anonymous on Wolves no threat to Wisconsin deer herd
Brad Hall on The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund wants to kill thousands of Yellowstone area bison and elk
Ralph Maughan on Montana wilderness bill still elusive despite Democratic takeover
Pronghorn on The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund wants to kill thousands of Yellowstone area bison and elk
High Country News
The deadly legacy of uraniumThe plague catsFree parking is what he wantsHometown mysteryProtecting indigenous culture: The good, the bad.Republican op takes the rein of Utah’s 2nd-biggest newspaperMeatpacking plants ICEd.The Thrill Kill Cult
Wild Again!!
Santa, the environment tops my listLynx Poaching Reward Soars to $10,000Agents, landowners killing more wolvesNo Thanksgiving Day Pardon for Lynx PoachersConservation Groups Join State Agency To Offer $5,000 Reward for Lynx Poachers
Carnivore Conservation
Polar bear populations on the declineA cheetah as a wedding witnessWild tiger dies of hunger after being injured by trapPlague related deaths of cougars raise questionsCat on camera confirmed as cougarMob burns a live bear in South Kashmir
Western Watersheds blog
Watersheds 4Grace at Carrizo Plain?Massachusetts v. EPACattle Produce More Greenhouse Gases Than Transportation!EPA OKs Spraying Pesticides Over Waters
Blog Stats
158,648 hits
Top Posts
Regional Web CamsThe Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund wants to kill thousands of Yellowstone area bison and elkMontana wilderness bill still elusive despite Democratic takeoverTags
Wyoming and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hold “landmark meeting” on Wyoming wolf plan
December 19th, 2006
Huge reduction in wolves could be the outcome of proposal.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service met Monday with Governor Dave Freudental and Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming and others in Cheyenne, to discuss the details of a new plan that would give Wyoming management of all wolves in the state outside of the National Parks. The plan would dramatically reduce wolf protection and is expected to lead to the direct killing of many packs of wolves.
Leading the discussion for the federal government was U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall, not Ed Bangs, the Northern Rockies wolf coordinator. Hall, who is the new head of the Service, was widely criticized when he was regional director of the Service in the Southwest for his antagonism toward wolves and ordering biologists his region to avoid using genetic analysis when making decisions about species. Conservation organizations who opposed his nomination said that he had politicized science in the Southwest, a common complaint about the Bush Administration
Story by Jared Miller. Casper Star Tribune.
At the present there are 23 groups of wolves in Wyoming outside Yellowstone Park. Wyoming, and folks in Wyoming would be allowed to reduce this to just seven packs. Approval of the plan would probably lead to direct aerial gunning down of wolves by the government. This would be relatively easy because, unlike the big wipeout of wolves a hundred years ago, now most packs have at least one radio collar.
To accommodate this, Wyoming legislature still needs to amend their proposed state wolf plan and talks may break down. Wyoming’s wolf plan had been rejected by the Service serval years ago for its failure to protect wolf recovery. Since then Wyoming has sued several times.
Some folks on this blog have suggested the Ed Bangs was behind this sudden change toward killing off wolves, but the presence of Hall indicates a decision at a higher level. This may be a “friendly” settlement of the lawsuit. That means the government backs off of its ability to prevail over Wyoming in the current lawsuit because it no longer believes in recovering wolves.
Approval of a Wyoming plan, would also pave the way for Idaho to reduce its strong wolf population. Many expect the Idaho Fish and Game Commission to eventually put forward a plan to reduce the current 650 wolves to around 150 wolves or 15 packs. Many expect these would reside mostly in the state’s wilderness areas, dramatically reducing opportunities for people to see the wolves or for the state of protect those that remain.
The article indicates Wyoming expects to be paid to “manage” the wolves, and negotiations may yet break down over that.
If this plan is adoptioned, it will be a rapid retreat from recovery. The government’s direction will be maintenance of token populations of wolves outside of Yellowstone and probably Montana which has a much more contemporary wolf management plan than Idaho. Because the Endangered Species Act requires recovery, not token populations, what is likely to be proposed may be illegal.
Entry Filed under: Wolves, Delisting, Wyoming wolves
1 Comment Add your own
1. Robert Hoskins | December 19th, 2006 at 9:36 am
It has been my opinion that this goes even above Dale Hall to Kempthorne and Freudenthal. In any case, the outcome of this latest imbroglio depends upon how aggressive conservationists are in working against the proposalt.
The comments of Earthjustice’s Abigail Dillon in the above story do not appear to reflect a willingess at Earthjustice to be aggressive in this matter, even though Earthjustice has intervened in the Wyoming lawsuit against the feds, representing various conservation groups.
I recall that Earthjustice failed to challenge the settlement between Wyoming and the feds over vaccinating elk on the National Elk Refuge some years back, even though Earthjustice’s clients had been granted formal intervenor status in Wyoming’s lawsuit against the Refuge over vaccination. The State lost that lawsui in federal district court and at the 10th Circuitt, but after Bush II entered office, a deal was worked out between Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer and Tom Sansonetti with the U. S. Department of Justice. Sansonetti is a Republican hack lawyer from Cheyenne appointed to USDOJ.
The deal did considerable damage to the National Elk Refuge and the national wildlife refuge system by giving a state more authority to dictate wildlife management on the Refuge, in this case, for the benefit of the livestock industry, which is behind Wyoming’s mismanagement of elk throughout western Wyoming.
So the question is, just how much courage has Earthjustice got?
Links
Alan Gregory’s Conservation News
Regional Webcams
Sinapu
Western Watersheds Project
Wolf Photos
Wolf Recovery Foundation
Wyoming Outdoor Council
Recent comments
Robert Hoskins on Wyoming and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hold "landmark meeting" on Wyoming wolf plan
anonymous on Wolves no threat to Wisconsin deer herd
Brad Hall on The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund wants to kill thousands of Yellowstone area bison and elk
Ralph Maughan on Montana wilderness bill still elusive despite Democratic takeover
Pronghorn on The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund wants to kill thousands of Yellowstone area bison and elk
High Country News
The deadly legacy of uraniumThe plague catsFree parking is what he wantsHometown mysteryProtecting indigenous culture: The good, the bad.Republican op takes the rein of Utah’s 2nd-biggest newspaperMeatpacking plants ICEd.The Thrill Kill Cult
Wild Again!!
Santa, the environment tops my listLynx Poaching Reward Soars to $10,000Agents, landowners killing more wolvesNo Thanksgiving Day Pardon for Lynx PoachersConservation Groups Join State Agency To Offer $5,000 Reward for Lynx Poachers
Carnivore Conservation
Polar bear populations on the declineA cheetah as a wedding witnessWild tiger dies of hunger after being injured by trapPlague related deaths of cougars raise questionsCat on camera confirmed as cougarMob burns a live bear in South Kashmir
Western Watersheds blog
Watersheds 4Grace at Carrizo Plain?Massachusetts v. EPACattle Produce More Greenhouse Gases Than Transportation!EPA OKs Spraying Pesticides Over Waters
Blog Stats
158,648 hits
Top Posts
Regional Web CamsThe Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund wants to kill thousands of Yellowstone area bison and elkMontana wilderness bill still elusive despite Democratic takeoverTags
