December 14, 2008

Southern Rockies Wolf Politics Heat Up

Via Cat Urbigkit, a report on the usual conflicts over proposed wolf reintroduction in the Southern Rockies.

WildEarth Guardians recently petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop a wolf recovery plan for the region. Re-establishing a population of the carnivores is crucial to bringing ecosystems back into balance, according to the group.

Not surprisingly, the Colorado Cattlemen's Association feels otherwise.

Coincidentally, M. and I were watching "Wolves in Paradise," a PBS program about livestock producers and (or versus) reintroduced wolves in an area north of Yellowstone National Park.

One rancher who spoke hopefully of "detente" and coexistence with the wolves still ended up having his employees shoot a couple -- and later calling in the federal "wildlife services" people to take out some more. The program offered no happy ending for everyone.

2 comments:

Barry said...
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cliff said...

There's been a lot of comments lately on most of the forums about wolves. My thoughts on your post is if everyone sets back a waits just a few years the wolves might get that far down the Rockies without any more transplanting.

My knowledge of most local animals is without some control they will multiply and reach a point where disease will reduce the number. Muskrats in a lake, without trapping, will end up dying off and taking years to recover. The same with rabbits and even coyotes.

I don't have enough knowledge about wolves, but do know there should be a happy medium that would please everyone.

cliff