http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/56437820-82/wolf-gray-wolves-management.html.csp
Value of wolves
Feds must maintain some oversight
Jun 10 2013
The image of the government declaring “Mission Accomplished” is etched in Americans’ minds, and not in a good way. Just as former President George W. Bush was wrong when he made that announcement about the Iraq war, the feds might well be wrong in declaring the gray wolf no longer in need of protection in the West.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the mission of recovering populations of the gray wolf, which once roamed throughout the United States, has been successful, and the top predator can now fend for himself. Considering that the illogical and irrational attitudes toward the wolf that resulted in its extermination in the West nearly a century ago remain, the agency may be acting too soon.
The FWS has concluded the current number of gray wolves in the lower 48 states no longer qualifies it for listing under the Endangered Species Act, but rightly recommended the Mexican gray wolf remain listed as an endangered subspecies.
The FWS will open a 90-day comment period on the proposal to seek additional scientific, commercial and technical information.
Advocates for delisting the wolf say management decisions should be made at the state level, not by federal agencies, now that the reintroduction process is complete. The problem with state-level decisions is that in the minds of many officials, “management” of the wolf is synonymous with “eradicating” the animal. For example, Wyoming’s proposed management plan essentially allowed anyone to shoot any wolf on sight for any reason. That’s not management.
Maintaining wildlife populations for human hunters and protecting livestock are the primary objectives of most local officials and ranchers, who still see the wolf as, at best, an unnecessary nuisance, and, at worst, an evil demon bent on wiping out whole herds of cattle and sheep. In reality, wolves improve the ecosystems they share with elk, moose and deer, as scientific research has shown in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem since their reintroduction.
Ranchers are compensated for livestock predation by wolves under the Endangered Species Act. Will that compensation be continued if the predators are delisted? If not, and even in some cases if so, it will be open season on wolves wherever livestock graze.
The recovery of the gray wolf in the West is a dramatic success story. When the animal is delisted as an endangered species, the federal government should continue to monitor its management by states, or it could disappear once again.
Wildlife Photography Copyright Jim Robertson
Exposing the Big Game 
The USFWS is proposing delisting the wolf in the lower 48 and turning the management over to states and the ruling elements within those states that have been traditionally wolf haters and wanted to marginalize them or even wipe them out. This agency is so full of lies, myths and folklore that the stupidity of it is astounding! It repeats the myths of attacks on game herds, elk, which have actually increased in numbers prolifically since wolf recovery and it repeats the myth of attack on cattle (less than .0026 %). This agency reflects policies that could have been written by the stockmen’s association of any western state or any sportsmen (hunter) group of any western state or any group of wolf hating, misinformed, lie, myth and folklore spreading group of bloggers seen on most discussion sites. This agency shows extreme prejudicial leanings, which totally has bought into rancher-sportsmen-yokel anti-wolf bias. It is a shameful perpetuation of decades old, since the inception of wildlife agencies, anti-predator bias and the alliance of USFWS and other wildlife agencies with anti-predator elements and traditions of this country and the march of civilization. The wildlife agencies have been party to and heavily involved in the upset of natural ecological systems by participating in the mass killings of wildlife, especially the predators. The USFWS has to be sued to do its’ job of protecting the totality of ecological systems. This agency and other wildlife agencies, like the USDA Wildlife Services should be fired top down.
Look at the list of anti-wolf groups wanting to have the wolf de-listed in the lower 48 and manage wolves on a state by state basis, which in effect puts the fate of the wolf in traditional wolf hating, marginalizing hands so that ungulates like elk can be farmed; and these groups are still using three lies and myths that have no basis in fact, science or logic: (1) Wolves are significantly depredating cattle; (2) Wolves are depredating elk; (3) the wolf is sufficiently recovered in the lower 48 so can be turned over to state management because they are best managed at the state level. Counter points: (1) Wolves are not significantly depredating cattle, only .002% in MT in the past few years with only 67 of 2.6 million last year (2012); (2) Elk numbers are up in all states, 37% in Montana since wolf re-introduction (1995), and Wyoming has had 10 years in a row of record elk harvest; (3) Wolves are not best managed at the state level because of the political nature of wolf management at the state by state level and the liaison of wildlife agencies with hunter groups and ranchers.
“Press RoomNews ReleasesRMEF Files to Intervene in Great Lakes Wolf Suit
If successful as an intervener, RMEF will join the Hunter Conservation Coalition group comprised of Safari Club International, National Rifle Association, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, Wisconsin Bowhunters Association, Upper Peninsula Bear Houndsmen Association, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, and the Michigan Hunting Dog Federation.”
Excellent piece!
Re the delisting I seriously question the 6100 number of Gray Wolf after the 2 year slaughter .. Has someone actually rechecked those numbers in the scientific community? With a handful in the Northwest and dwindled amount in the Rockies I seriously think this is
might be a case of reckless number keeping!
As well, when the Feds delist it reminds of the power the Feds actually can wield. In the early 60’s to enforce civil rights in the Sourhern states where it was most needed, we sent in troops, etc to keep and uphold thr law of the land . if we left it up to those states where the majority of the atrocities were happening, we’d still see lynching and the Klan in full power.. These ranchers and hunters in our Wolf states have a similiar disposition, and they want no one interfering with their right to control their property and take matters in to their own bloody hands.
Hence, another fall /winter lynch party is already in meeting with pointed guns and other weapons of annihilation.
This is a very unwise decision by our federal government and an administration that is showing themselves to be very anti wildlife anay be suffering from a bad case of “nature deficit disorder”.
The Cure? to enforce the ESA laws for our iconic Gray Wolf and give this contributing member of the planet a seat at the table of life. To relegate them to the kill pile is the height of a hubris that denies our existence on a living breathing planet we all share. Because they have no voice or speak a different langauge they become the “other “that is discriminated against by our first Black /African American president. I find it incredibly ironic that he has found a whipping boy in our wildlife that belongs to the whole nation as stated in the Public Trust Doctrine.
For shame Mr President …! Follow this Trust document and uphold the law.
Show some courage and strength and reverse this delisting proposal now!
The disenfranchised are waiting for their savior.
Yep, a serious case of “Nature deficit disorder” — Good one.
Reblogged this on Carinas space.