Maybe we will be next
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Federal wildlife officials have signaled their preliminary approval for Idaho's petition to kill up to 60 endangered gray wolves from packs that have been preying heavily on big game herds in the upper Clearwater River Basin.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a draft environmental review Thursday in which it proposed to approve a wolf hunt plan in the Lolo zone that had been submitted last August by Idaho Fish and Game. A similar petition from Montana — to remove 12 wolves in the Bitterroot Range — remains pending.
Wolves in the Northern Rockies are listed as an endangered species under a federal court order, but state and federal officials have been looking for ways to curb their population.
The Idaho and Montana hunt proposals stem from a 2008 rule change by the Fish and Wildlife Service that allows states to remove wolves if they are harming deer or elk herds. Federal officials must sign off on the any proposed hunts following a scientific review.
The rule is under a court challenge by wildlife advocates. A hearing in the case is set for next month in Missoula, before U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials stressed Thursday that a final decision on Idaho's plan has not been made. But the federal agency's Idaho supervisor, Brian Kelly said state officials "seem to have provided pretty good data that wolves are a factor" behind declining elk populations in an area known as the Lolo zone.
"They've tried more liberal hunting seasons on other predators like black bears and mountain lions. They've tried habitat improvements, changes in the hunting framework for elk — and they're still not seeing a response" in terms of elk numbers rebounding, Kelly said.
The environmental review published Thursday opens a 30-day comment period. Kelly said it could be weeks or months before a decision is made.
Officials in Wyoming also want to reduce wolf numbers in their state, but only Montana and Idaho have federally approved management plans for the species.
Wolves across most of the Northern Rockies are considered an "experimental, non-essential" population because they were reintroduced in the mid-1990s instead of naturally colonizing the area.
That designation gives federal officials wider latitude to kill wolves that cause problems, and also allows livestock owners to kill wolves when their animals come under attack.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Federal wildlife officials have signaled their preliminary approval for Idaho's petition to kill up to 60 endangered gray wolves from packs that have been preying heavily on big game herds in the upper Clearwater River Basin.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a draft environmental review Thursday in which it proposed to approve a wolf hunt plan in the Lolo zone that had been submitted last August by Idaho Fish and Game. A similar petition from Montana — to remove 12 wolves in the Bitterroot Range — remains pending.
Wolves in the Northern Rockies are listed as an endangered species under a federal court order, but state and federal officials have been looking for ways to curb their population.
The Idaho and Montana hunt proposals stem from a 2008 rule change by the Fish and Wildlife Service that allows states to remove wolves if they are harming deer or elk herds. Federal officials must sign off on the any proposed hunts following a scientific review.
The rule is under a court challenge by wildlife advocates. A hearing in the case is set for next month in Missoula, before U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials stressed Thursday that a final decision on Idaho's plan has not been made. But the federal agency's Idaho supervisor, Brian Kelly said state officials "seem to have provided pretty good data that wolves are a factor" behind declining elk populations in an area known as the Lolo zone.
"They've tried more liberal hunting seasons on other predators like black bears and mountain lions. They've tried habitat improvements, changes in the hunting framework for elk — and they're still not seeing a response" in terms of elk numbers rebounding, Kelly said.
The environmental review published Thursday opens a 30-day comment period. Kelly said it could be weeks or months before a decision is made.
Officials in Wyoming also want to reduce wolf numbers in their state, but only Montana and Idaho have federally approved management plans for the species.
Wolves across most of the Northern Rockies are considered an "experimental, non-essential" population because they were reintroduced in the mid-1990s instead of naturally colonizing the area.
That designation gives federal officials wider latitude to kill wolves that cause problems, and also allows livestock owners to kill wolves when their animals come under attack.
