The rise and fall of the Grey Wolf

Bush Administration Plan to Remove ESA Protections Jeopardizes Recovery, Allows Over 1500 Wolves in N. Rockies to Be Reduced to As Few As 300

On February 21, 2008, the US Fish and Wildlife Service released its final rule delisting Northern Rockies wolves from the endangered species list, effective in late March 2008, leaving wolf management in the hands of state agencies.

With a base population of 66 wolves introduced into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho in the mid-1990s, there are now nearly 1,300, with an additional 230 or so in Montana that have drifted down from Canada. State management plans allow for wolf hunting, or outright eradication in some places — including most of Wyoming — with a target population of 150 in each of the three states.

In the opinion of this humble redheaded blogger, I do not think that 1,500 wolves is enough to justify delisting a species and setting it up for eradication at the hands of hunters wanting a trophy for their mantle or the priveldge of dining on 1 of only 1,500 creatures in existence.

According to the Defenders of Wildlife.."Idaho has plans to kill 75% of the wolves in the Clearwater National Forest. Wyoming's wolf management plan would allow 16 of the existing 23 packs of the wolves in the state to be killed on sight. To accomplish this goal, the state would authorize poisoning, trapping and shooting within 90 percent of the wolf's current home range outside of the national parks."

For more information on the policies of the three states please visit this website:
Northern Rockies Wolves Management and Policy

Satellites Track Antarctica's Penguins

Carbon Footprint of a Cheese Burger

(Greenpeace) Happy Valentine's Day