Commentary
Hunters aren't the worst threat to wolves' survival
By L. David Mech
Well, they are hunting wolves out West this fall, and many people think it's a shame. The wolf is barely off the federal endangered species list in Montana and Idaho, and right away these states are allowing public hunting. But not everyone thinks hunting wolves is bad, and not just ranchers and sportsmen who believe the wolf conflicts with their own interests.
Many of the folks who see public wolf hunting as a positive development actually are pro-wolf. They notice that wolf populations that only 20 years ago were almost nonexistent in the West have now recovered so much that the populations can afford regulated harvesting like their fellow large carnivores -- mountain lions and bears. These folks view the wolf's new status as a state-managed species as helping to secure a more normal and healthy standing for the wolf in the West's wildlife community.
Not so long ago wolves, cougars and bears held a more nefarious image. Citizens of the West regarded them as total enemies to be annihilated in any way possible. For the wolf this meant widespread and officially sanctioned government poisoning programs. The net result: Wolves were deliberately exterminated from throughout the 48 contiguous states, except for a small population in Minnesota and in Isle Royale National Park, Mich.
Not until U.S. society changed from a predominately agrarian to an urban culture did the country awaken to what it had done. The environmental revolution began, the Endangered Species Act was passed, and the wolf population responded by increasing from about 750 to its current number of 6,000 or more in the lower United States.
My life has spanned both the strong anti-wolf period before the Endangered Species Act in 1973 and the wolf's reintroduction into Yellowstone National Park and Idaho. I have followed the animal's removal from the list of endangered species and now the restoration of wolf management in at least a few states. It is heartening to be able to review a history that culminates in the wolf's present status as a regular member of the wilderness fauna, with no special listing as endangered and no special drive toward its extermination. But a long lifespan gives one perspective. And my perspective tells me that, in the long run of history, wolves' troubles are not really over. Even more than cougars or bears, wolves do conflict with human interests. As people continue to develop more and more wild lands where wolves can best survive without conflicts, the species will again face challenges that in many cases could be overwhelming.
Regulated hunting of wolves will not endanger the species again. But habitat loss, especially the loss of large contiguous tracts of wild land, will. That, rather than the human-caused deaths of individual wolves, will be the big concern of those folks who now decry state management of the species. To paraphrase Henry David Thoreau, "In wilderness is the preservation of the wolf."
L. David Mech is a senior research scientist with the Biological Resource Discipline of the U.S. Geological Survey. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota and a founder of the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minn. He has studied wolves full-time for more than 50 years.
Comments (11)
I have great respect for Dr Mech's research & knowledge. However, being based in the great Lakes region, I do not think that he grasps the situation in the Northern Rockies when with respect to the wolf, he states that there is"no special drive toward its extermination. " For instance, Idaho Fish & Game (IDF&G) intends to kill, in one way or another enough wolves to lower their numbers to 500 wolves, a 50% reduction in a state where there are 25,000 black bears, about 3,00o cougars & over one hundred thousand elk. This is not a management plan. It is an annihilate . plan. I have no doubt that they would kill every wolf in Idaho except that the Endangered Species Act would not allow that. I invite. Dr Mech to come out here & see for himself what the real intentions of IDF&G are.
I have great respect for Dr Mech's research & knowledge. However, being based in the great Lakes region, I do not think that he grasps the situation in the Northern Rockies when with respect to the wolf, he states that there is"no special drive toward its extermination. " For instance, Idaho Fish & Game (IDF&G) intends to kill, in one way or another enough wolves to lower their numbers to 500 wolves, a 50% reduction in a state where there are 25,000 black bears, about 3,00o cougars & over one hundred thousand elk. This is not a management plan. It is an annihilate . plan. I have no doubt that they would kill every wolf in Idaho except that the Endangered Species Act would not allow that. I invite. Dr Mech to come out here & see for himself what the real intentions of IDF&G are.
Once again it seems that David Mech supports the hunting and destruction of wolves, rather than their preservation. A scientist should be looking at the facts, not opinion. He has denied evidence that non lethal methods work in livestock issues with wolves. He obviously has ignored recent evidence of ecosystems collapsing when predators are being culled in populations. We really need an expert on wolves truly to advocate them. Sadly, this is not David Mech.
Mike Wagner
Founder and Director of Heart of the Wolf Organization
Come to Idaho and Help manage the wolves. Visit www.HuntWolves.com to find out how you can help
I think some of the well-intentioned people commenting to this post miss Mech's larger point because of their valid concerns about hunting: we really do need to pay more attention to the issue of losing our wild lands. It's imperative for those of us who care about protecting animals to focus as much attention on threats caused by the loss of natural land as we do those posed by hunting. Let's do more to conserve land for people and animals alike.
i strongly believe in saving all wildlife. Wolves are my favorite.
I am working on saving wolves, come join me.
With this year's pups, the northern Rocky Mountain wolf population will approach 2,000 wolves. The Recovery Plan for this population called for delisting after the population reached approximately 3oo wolves. Mech's commentary is an excellent summary spanning his lifetime of research on wolves.
The first person to comment said that since Mech lives in the Great Lakes region he doesn't "grasp the situation" in the northern Rockies.
I grasp the situation and so does Mech. I've been involved with wolves for over 40 years. I started searching for wolves in Montana in 1973. We captured and radio-collared a wolf close to Glacier National Park in 1979 - 30 years ago and 16 years before wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone and central Idaho. We followed the recovery of the Glacier wolves as they spread throughout northwest Montana and into northern Idaho.
Like Mech, my lifetime has spanned many changes in wolf poulations and human attitudes toward wolves. In Montana, there are still many people that hate wolves and many that want to see them as a viable part of our rich wildlife legacy.
Now, as a member of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission I am charged with the responsibility of managing wolves as we do other large carnivores, using hunting as one management tool.
At the end of 2008 there were about 500 wolves in Montana with an annual increase of about 20%. Montana's hunting season ended today, with 72 wolves taken through yesterday. With this harvest, the population will still increase substantially.
I must ask Mech's critics, how many wolves are enough in the northern Rockies? Apparently more than 2,000. How many more? Most Montanans "grasp the situation" and support our wolf management plan. It was well crafted, with much public input, using a 12 member working group representing diverse interests.
This first ever, regulated hunting season, anywhere in the lower 48 states has gone extremely well. We are breaking new ground and minor changes may be made next year. There is no danger to the wolf population from this hunt. Perhaps the greatest benefit is that the issue has become far less polarized under state management. Illegal taking of wolves will decline and Montanans will accept the wolf as part of our rich assemblage of predators and prey that we are so fortunate to have in this region. This richness is due in large part to the large chunks of contiguous wild lands we are blessed with, that provide for core populations of predators and prey. As one commentor observed, "Let's do more to conserve land for people and animals alike."
kill em all
I see talk about wolf management, and such. Unlike the cougar and the bear, wolves live, work, and play in packs. They have a hierarchy much like humans do. When an alpha male or female is killed or a whole pack is wiped out it sets back the reintroduction process. If we are not careful, for no matter how good your intentions there will be poachers they never stopped doing it. They won't stop now. This throws off the whole idea of a controlled wolf management program. Remember the fact that by 1930's wolves were all but extinct. We will see that again if they don't relist them until they are able to sustain their numbers. I have heard people at huntwolves.com talk of trapping and poaching these animals. They have no regard for the law. Or the federal courts. They make their own rules out there. Don't be fooled people the wolves are still very delicate in the balance. They are not ready for us to start hunting them again.
YOU PEOPLE MUST OF BEEN PAID TO SAY THIS crap.IT IS VERY CLEAR YOU COULD NOT DRIVE YOUR FINGER UP YOUR REAR WITH A MIRROR and a can of wd 40.DO YOU LAY IN BED AND HAVE a fantasy every nite with a wolf.YOU BETTER CALL A DOCTOR OR TED TURNER FOR SOME MORE SYCO HELP! GET A LIFE: YOU WOULD LOVE TO BOW HUNT!!!!
i think this hunting stuff should stop i love animals mostly deer and wolfs i have seen many animals been killed and i bett no won would like to killed and animal those who hunt are complet jurks absoultley jurk heads and they have no life you all are stupid and animal killen rats you are all dead peolple how would you like it if you got a fat killed life noo and i know you would not like a furry bloody face so back off you old butt heads and stopp your fat face killin jurk butts
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