Today, the advocacy community is putting WDFW and all interested parties in Eastern Washington on notice. The actions taken by WDFW with respect to recent wolf-related problems are unacceptable, as is WDFW’s tepid response to the threats, statements and resolutions passed by local stock growers.
Prior testimony, as well as WDFW’s own public chronology of the Huckleberry Pack depredations show that the department has failed to faithfully implement its own management plan — or even adhere to its published decision tree. Further, WDFW’s lack of transparency with respect to the lethal removal of the Huckleberry Alpha female was reprehensible and violates the spirit of working with all stakeholders to resolve wolf/livestock/human conflict.
We wish to make it clear for the record that WDFW’s quasi-official narrative with respect to the Huckleberry Pack depredations is not the only version of events. We are aware of the changes to this story that have transpired over the past few weeks. The version being promoted by both the department and the producer differs in many key respects from the facts that were reported from the field as the incident was occurring.
We know the producer knew of the presence of wolves in advance yet failed to make even the most basic efforts to prevent wolf/livestock conflict for weeks after they ceased to have a regular and consistent human presence on the allotment. WDFW’s own photographs of multiple decayed carcasses strewn in numerous locations document the failures of the producer to take this required action. WDFW’s claim that the producer removed attractants is puzzling since it is obviously untrue.
As a result of the failure on the part of WDWF to be fully transparent, the advocacy community will now be watching, documenting and publishing everything going forward. We intend to use all means at our disposal to monitor and make public every aspect of wolf management actions in the state including using social media and FOIA requests when and if we feel the department is failing to provide us with accurate and timely information.
We wish to remind the department that they have an equal obligation to all stakeholders including those of us that advocate on behalf of wolves, and that the overwhelming public majority are in favor of wolves and oppose lethal wolf control actions.
As advocates we are deeply troubled that WDFW has failed to make it clear that the vigilante statements made by producers and the various anti-wolf resolutions being passed by county commissioners are contrary to state and federal laws. We demand the department state unequivocally that any unlawful take of wolves is poaching and will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Given the current climate as well as the threats to illegally kill wolves, the department can no longer provide producers with GPS telemetry that provides them with the locations of collared wolves. Continuing to provide this information under current circumstances is irresponsible and puts wolves at grave risk of being unlawfully killed.
Additionally, as a result of the threats to kill wolves made by the ranching community in Eastern Washington, the advocacy community demands full documentation for every suspicious wolf mortality including a full toxicology report as part of any necropsy where cause of death has not otherwise been determined.
The recent poaching of a wolf in Whitman County is an example of the results of WDFW’s clear bias against wolves and in favor of producers. WDFW has an obligation to adequately represent all stakeholders and develop and implement a sensible management plan with coexistence and not lethal actions as its cornerstone. Condoning unlawful killing or simply looking the other way is unacceptable.
While I and other wolf advocates stand ready to work with producers committed to non-lethal deterrents, we oppose efforts to remove or translocate wolves at the behest of producers that are unwilling to implement the same non-lethal methods that have proven effective at reducing and/or eliminating wolf/livestock conflict in places including Idaho that have much greater wolf density.