Tagged: wolves

     Four out of five scientists who reviewed Wyoming's proposed wolf management plan say they believe it's likely to maintain a stable population in the state.

     The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Friday released its second scientific peer review of Wyoming's wolf plan. The agency released an earlier review this winter but called for another after the state modified its plan.

A Wyoming wolf management bill has been approved by the State Senate.  The compromise measure that allows wolves to be shot on sight in most of the state and hunted in a small area of the state in western Wyoming, is the first key step in allowing the state to join Idaho and Montana in managing wolf populations located within state boundaries.  Senator Bruce Burns carried the bill and says citizen feedback has been mostly positive.

"I think we are ready for a compromise," said Burns. "I think this is as a result of a lot of work the governor has done and I think he's done a good job there.  Not only with legislators but with other other stakeholders through the state."

The State Senate voted to give initial support for a wolf management plan for Wyoming today/Thursday. The multi-year compromise was developed by the Governor and Federal officials over the summer and involved a number of public meetings. 

Senator Dan Dockstader  of Afton says there are 2 key components in the bill….

“Under the legislation the plan calls for ten breeding pairs and at least 100 wolves outside of Yellowstone National Park.  The second main point trophy game management area will go from October 15th to the final day in February.”

Dockstader notes that the trophy game area is centered around Grand Teton National Park, while wolves can be shot on sight in the rest of the state.  The bill will be debated by the Senate two more times.

The Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Interim Committee has passed a final draft of a wolf management plan. The state must maintain no fewer than 10 breeding pairs or a hundred individuals and would protect wolves in Yellowstone and the Wind River Reservation, designate them as trophy game in parts of the Western Mountains, and allow people to shoot them on sight in the remaining 85 percent of Wyoming.

Rep. Allen Jaggi of Uinta and Sweetwater Counties says the bill might not be perfect, but it’s a hard-fought effort to satisfy federal wildlife protection standards and Wyoming ranchers.

One of five scientists retained by the federal government says he sees shortcomings in Wyoming's proposed wolf management plan.

While four of the scientists generally approved of the plan, wolf researcher John A. Vucetich of Michigan says it's vague on how to reconcile conflicts between wolves and elk and may overestimate the mortality wolf populations can sustain.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service retained the five scientists to evaluate Wyoming's wolf plan.

Gov. Matt Mead and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar agreed last summer to end federal protections for wolves in Wyoming.

Yellowstone National Park officials say an agreement with neighboring Montana that limits wolf hunting along the park's northern border is protecting the park's wolves from excessive hunting.

Yellowstone wolf biologist Doug Smith said Wednesday that Montana's 2011-12 wolf season so far has had less impact than the inaugural hunt in 2009. That year hunters killed four wolves from Yellowstone's Cottonwood pack, which had been studied for years by scientists and was popular among wolf watchers from across the country.

The killings sparked an outcry from wildlife advocates. They also prompted Montana to adjust its hunting regulations to prevent a recurrence.

Scientists say in a new study that the return of gray wolves has dramatically altered the landscape in portions of Yellowstone National Park, by curbing foraging elk herds that prevented new aspen, willow and cottonwood trees from taking root.

Study author William Ripple from Oregon State University said tree stands are expanding in areas where for decades dense elk populations prevented new growth.

Wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995 and 1996 after being killed off early last century. About 100 now roam the park and elk numbers have dropped sharply.

As fewer elk allows the trees to rebound, Ripple says they are providing new habitat for songbirds and more food for beavers.

Federal wildlife managers are soliciting public comment on a plan that could see an end to federal protections for Wyoming wolves as soon as next year.

Gov. Matt Mead and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar reached agreement this summer on a plan to turn management of Wyoming's wolves over to the state. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has set a meeting for Tuesday in Riverton to collect public comments on the proposal. Under the agreement, Wyoming would classify wolves as unprotected predators that could be shot on sight in most areas. Wolves would be protected as trophy game animals in a flexible zone outside Yellowstone.

A legislative panel has signed off on a plan that could remove federal protections from gray wolves in
Wyoming as early as next year.   Sen. Bruce Burns says the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and
Cultural Resources Interim Committee approved the plan on Tuesday.

Burns says the panel was unanimous in recommending that the Legislature approve Wyoming's wolf-management plan when it convenes in February.   Gov. Matt Mead and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar agreed this summer to classify wolves in most of Wyoming as predators that
could be shot on sight.

Wolves would be considered protected game animals in a flexible trophy game zone in the northwestern corner
of the state around Yellowstone National Park.
 

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Tuesday defended the decision to accept Wyoming's wolf management plan pending acceptance by the state legislature. Salazar made his comments to reporters while visiting Grand Teton National Park. Salazar explains that the hunting of wolves outlined in the plans for Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, are necessary to maintain the populations at manageable level.
"The recovery plan targets have been exceeded and those population targets are required to be kept."
Should the populations exceed or fall below their sustainable populations, Salazar says they would have to be re-listed. Consequently he believes the states will work in good faith to assure there is a sustainable population of wolves.

 After years of lawsuits and negotiations, the State of Wyoming and the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service have reached an agreement that could lead to Wyoming managing wolves within the state.    The agreement would allow Wyoming to manage ten breeding pairs, but reduce the number of wolves outside of Yellowstone National Park from 350 down to 100.   The Governor’s policy adviser for Wildlife and Endangered Species Steve Ferrell says those numbers will be reduced through such things as hunting…but he does not expect a sudden reduction.