There IS a Wolf at the Door #2

The wolves now running through western America came about from directives to meet the ESA (Endangered Species Act) requirements to replace an endangered species. Chosen as a substitute was the Canadian Grey Wolf. The initial objective was to create a required (and arbitrary) number of breeding pairs in each western State to attain surety that wolf species would continue to survive. The original concept was lopsided in that it avoided the biological absolute truth. Only the western States would be infused with "new" wolves, there were no plans to restore wolves in New York, Iowa, Ohio, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas or any other former eastern wolf habitats. Only the relatively unpopulated wide open spaces, forests and prairies of the western States would receive the "new" wolves. Kindly note that these locales are far from the urban armchair-biologists and anti-hunting preservationists that championed the restoration of the wolf populations. And no, none were released in Los Angeles, either.

But the restoration has been done. Depending on the source of information there are now at least 1700 wolves in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana alone. This far exceeds the originally agreed upon restoration numbers. Many biologists suspect there are probably about 3000 wolves in those States along with a trickle now spreading into Washington, Oregon, Utah and possibly Colorado. The real numbers required for sustaining the wolf population in those States are on the ground. They exist. Yet the preservationist/environmentalist groups continue to litigate for more wolves and total protection for those wolves. Those uncontrolled, unmanaged wolves have ravaged existing mammals and ungulate herds. Keep in mind that the litigant groups are the most fervent anti-hunting organizations in America. Idaho's moose, elk and deer herds have been decimated and wolves are the primary cause. The north Yellowstone elk herd numbered about 16,000 animals six short years ago; it numbers less than 4000 animals now with virtually no calves for recruitment. During a week's stay last September in Yellowstone my wife and I saw no coyote tracks, 1 doe deer, no elk calves with any of the few herds we saw and no moose. Numbers of bison seen were fewer and far between. There were few game trails one could put a foot to that did not display wolf tracks. As I go forward with this keep in mind that it takes about 35 elk a year to sustain each wolf. You do the math.

And in the middle of this controversy is a conservationist group that believes in the North American Model of Conservation. Never heard of it? Stay tuned.