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Archive for the ‘Facts and Figures’ Category

CRITICAL COALITION STATEMENT: Wolf advocates everywhere must read and act now!

Posted in Facts and Figures, Wolf Organizations, Wolf Preservation Efforts on December 5, 2010| Leave a Comment »


**ONE OF OUR MOST  POWERFUL WOLF ALLIES FROM BOULDER-WHITE CLOUDS IS DIRECTOR  LYNNE STONE, AN IDAHO RESIDENT WHO HAS DEDICATED HER LIFE TO THE PROTECTION OF WILDERNESS AND WOLVES. 

ORIGINAL BILL

S.1983
Title: Endangered Species Conservation Act
Sponsor: Sen Williams, Harrison A., Jr. [NJ] (introduced 6/12/1973) Cosponsors (8)
Related Bills: H.R.37
Latest Major Action: 12/28/1973 Public law 93-205.SUMMARY AS OF:
12/28/1973–Public Law. (There is 1 other summary)

(LATEST SUMMARY)

Endangered Species Act – States that the purposes of this Act are to conserve the ecosystems upon which endangered species depend, and to conserve those species.

Sets forth the procedure by which the Secretaries of Interior and Commerce shall determine if a species or subspecies of fish or wildlife shall be regarded as an endangered species. Lists the following factors to be considered in determining if a species or subspecies is threatened with extinction: (1) the present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range; (2) overutilization for commercial, sporting, scientific, or education purposes; (3) disease or predation; (4) the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or (5) other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence.

Provides that the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a list by scientific and common name or names of species and subspecies determined to be endangered. Provides that the Secretary may, from time to time, by regulation, revise such list.

Provides that the Secretary shall utilize the land acquisition and other authorities of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, as amended, the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, as amended, and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, as appropriate, to carry out a program in the United States of conserving those species of fish and wildlife that he lists as endangered species pursuant to this Act.

Provides that, in carrying out the program authorized by this Act, the Secretary shall cooperate to the maximum extent practicable with the several States. States that such cooperation shall include consultation before the acquisition of any land for the purpose of conserving any endangered species. Authorizes the Secretary to provide financial assistance to States for cooperative programs to protect endangered and threatened species, and specifies requirements of such programs. Allows the Federal share of such financial assistance to be two-thirds.

Provides that any State law or regulation which applies to the importation or exportation of, or interstate or foreign commerce in, endangered or threatened species is void to the extent that it is inconsistent with this Act.

Authorizes an appropriation, for such State conservation programs, of $10,000,000 through fiscal year 1977.

Provides for a review of and cooperation with other Federal agency programs within the scope of this Act.

Authorizes the use of counterpart funds in foreign countries, where those countries are agreeable, to provide assistance in the development and management of programs which the Secretary finds to be important to endangered species.

Directs the Secretary to encourage foreign countries to develop adequate programs for the protection of endangered species, to encourage the development of bilateral and multilateral agreements for the protection of endangered species and to encourage foreign persons who take fish or wildlife or or animals for importation to use such practices as will encourage appropriate conservation practices designed to enhance such fish or wildlife and their habitat.

Directs the President to designate appropriate agencies to act as the Management Authority and the Scientific Authority pursuant to the Convention on Nature Preservation and Wildlife Preservation in the Western Hemisphere.

Provides that it is unlawful for any person to: (1) import into or export from the United States, or (2) take within the United States, the territorial sea of the United States, upon the high seas, or (3) ship, carry, or receive by any means; any species or subspecies which is listed as an endangered species.

Allows exceptions from the prohibitions contained in this Act for fish and wildlife held in captivity or in a controlled environment, if purposes for holding are not contrary to this Act.

Makes it unlawful for any person to engage in business as an importer or exporter of fish or wildlife (other than shellfish and fishery products which (1) are not listed pursuant to this Act as endangered species or threatened species, and (2) are imported for purposes of human or animal consumption or taken in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States or on the high seas for recreational purposes) or plants without first having obtained permission from the Secretary.

States that if any person enters into a contract with respect to a species of fish or wildlife or plant before the date of the publication in the Federal Register of notice of consideration of that species as an endangered species and the subsequent listing of that species as an endangered species will cause undue economic hardship to such person under the contract, the Secretary, in order to minimize such hardship, may exempt such person from the application of this Act to the extent the Secretary deems appropriate if such person applies to him for such exemption.

Provides that the provisions of this Act shall not apply with respect to the taking of any endangered species or threatened species, or the importation of any such species taken pursuant to this section, by any Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo who is an Alaskan Native who resides in Alaska.

Sets forth civil and criminal penalties for violations of the provisions of this Act. Authorizes the seizure and forfeiture of fish, wildlife, plants, or equipment possessed in violation of this Act. Allows private suits for injunctive enforcement of this Act.

Authorizes the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, together with any other interested agencies, to review plant species which are or may become endangered or threatened and to prescribe possible regulatory programs.

Specifies appropriations for fiscal years 1974-76 to carry out this Act.

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HUNTING StatisticsIn Wyoming there are currently 120,00 elk…..50% above State objectives

In Idaho there are currently 100,00 elk…..Slightly below objective but 23 of the 29 hunting districts are at or above objectives.

Success Rates in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming
Montana: 22 %
Idaho: 20%
Wyoming: 43%

In Montana there are currently 160,000 elk… 14% above State objectives

-The imaginary problem of perceived decreased hunting opportunities is due in part to liberal hunting quotas.

-Wolves prey on the old, sick and weak animals first.

-Wolves are apex predators vital to our ecosystem. They influence forest health by decreasing ungulate browsing pressure. Wolf kills provide food for many other species. Wolves are the best friend of pronghorn antelope fawns, because wolves control the coyote population, who feed on the fawns. Wolves keep ungulate herds healthy by culling the weak, sick and old.Wolves are not killing all the elk in the Northern Rockies. The elk population in Montana stands at 150,000, Idaho 101,000 and Wyoming 120,000 That’s 371,000 elk in the tri-state region. More than enough elk, probably too many elk, since fish and game agencies favor high ungulate numbers to please their customers, the hunters. Wolves, bears, mountain lions and other predators are considered a nuisance and their numbers are controlled.
-Wolf depredation on livestock is a red herring. Wolves were responsible for just 97 cattle losses in Montana in 2009 out 2.6 million cattle. The main cause of cow deaths are disease, weather, theft and reproductive issues. Coyotes are the primary cattle predator but all predation is low compared to non-predation. Most ranchers in the Northern Rockies do not practice sound animal husbandry practices and rely on Wildlife Services to kill predators for them.
-Wolves are the least dangerous of all large North American carnivores. They are shy and will stay as far away from people as they can. Deer kill many more people in car accidents every year, in this country, than wolves have in a century.
-Wolves need the protection of the ESA. Could it be any plainer, when so many special interest groups are clamoring for wolves’ blood? Their hysterical claims are not backed by science but myth and innuendo. Wolves are the ultimate scapegoats.
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– Hide quoted text –
LIVESTOCK and RANCHING Talking points

in 2009 Montana lost 97 cattle to depredation.
There are 2.6 million cattle in Montana

Other reasons for cattle deaths and amount.
Digestive problems: 1,600
Respiratory Problems: 1,300
Birthing Problems: 1,100
Misc health problems: 3,200
Harsh weather: 600
Poisoning: 800

Ranchers are not for the most part proactive when living with wolves. They leave their investment free to roam unsupervised both on public and private lands.
There are options such as:
Guard dogs
Mules and donkeys
Electric fence
Fladry
Range riders
Good animal husbandry.
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ESA Senator Contact List

United States Senate


Senators of the 111th Congress

Akaka, Daniel K. – (D – HI) Class I
141 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6361
Web Form: akaka.senate.gov/email-senator-akaka.cfm

Alexander, Lamar – (R – TN) Class II
455 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4944
Web Form: alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email

Barrasso, John – (R – WY) Class I
307 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6441
Web Form: barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs...

Baucus, Max – (D – MT) Class II
511 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2651
Web Form: baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue

Bayh, Evan – (D – IN) Class III
131 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5623
Web Form: bayh.senate.gov/contact/email/

Begich, Mark – (D – AK) Class II
144 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3004
Web Form: begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EmailSenator

Bennet, Michael F. – (D – CO) Class III
702 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5852
Web Form: bennet.senate.gov/contact/

Bennett, Robert F. – (R – UT) Class III
431 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5444
Web Form: bennett.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email

Bingaman, Jeff – (D – NM) Class I
703 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5521
Web Form: bingaman.senate.gov/contact/

Bond, Christopher S. – (R – MO) Class III
274 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5721
Web Form: bond.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.Con...

Boxer, Barbara – (D – CA) Class III
112 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3553
Web Form: boxer.senate.gov/en/contact/

Brown, Scott P. – (R – MA) Class I
317 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4543
Web Form: scottbrown.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/emailscottbrown

Brown, Sherrod – (D – OH) Class I
713 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2315
Web Form: brown.senate.gov/contact/

Brownback, Sam – (R – KS) Class III
303 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6521
Web Form: brownback.senate.gov/public/contact/emailsam.cfm

Bunning, Jim – (R – KY) Class III
316 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4343
Web Form: bunning.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Co...

Burr, Richard – (R – NC) Class III
217 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3154
Web Form: burr.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Conta...

Cantwell, Maria – (D – WA) Class I
511 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3441
Web Form: cantwell.senate.gov/contact/

Cardin, Benjamin L. – (D – MD) Class I
509 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4524
Web Form: cardin.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Carper, Thomas R. – (D – DE) Class I
513 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2441
Web Form: carper.senate.gov/contact/

Casey, Robert P., Jr. – (D – PA) Class I
393 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6324
Web Form: casey.senate.gov/contact/

Chambliss, Saxby – (R – GA) Class II
416 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3521
Web Form: chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email

Coburn, Tom – (R – OK) Class III
172 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5754
Web Form: coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactsenatorcoburn?p...

Cochran, Thad – (R – MS) Class II
113 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5054
Web Form: cochran.senate.gov/email.html

Collins, Susan M. – (R – ME) Class II
413 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2523
Web Form: collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=Contact...

Conrad, Kent – (D – ND) Class I
530 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2043
Web Form: conrad.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm

Coons, Christopher A. – (D – DE) Class II
383 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5042

Corker, Bob – (R – TN) Class I
185 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3344
Web Form: corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactMe

Cornyn, John – (R – TX) Class II
517 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2934
Web Form: cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactForm

Crapo, Mike – (R – ID) Class III
239 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6142
Web Form: crapo.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

DeMint, Jim – (R – SC) Class III
340 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6121
Web Form: demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactInformation

Dodd, Christopher J. – (D – CT) Class III
448 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2823
Web Form: dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3130

Dorgan, Byron L. – (D – ND) Class III
322 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2551
Web Form: dorgan.senate.gov/contact/contact_form.cfm

Durbin, Richard J. – (D – IL) Class II
309 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2152
Web Form: durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Ensign, John – (R – NV) Class I
119 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6244
Web Form: ensign.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Con...

Enzi, Michael B. – (R – WY) Class II
379A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3424
Web Form: enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInform...

Feingold, Russell D. – (D – WI) Class III
506 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5323
Web Form: feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html

Feinstein, Dianne – (D – CA) Class I
331 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3841
Web Form: feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactU...

Franken, Al – (D – MN) Class II
320 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5641
Web Form: franken.senate.gov/?p=contact

Gillibrand, Kirsten E. – (D – NY) Class I
478 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4451
Web Form: gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/

Graham, Lindsey – (R – SC) Class II
290 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5972
Web Form: lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Em...

Grassley, Chuck – (R – IA) Class III
135 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3744
Web Form: grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Gregg, Judd – (R – NH) Class III
201 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3324
Web Form: gregg.senate.gov/contact/

Hagan, Kay R. – (D – NC) Class II
521 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6342
Web Form: hagan.senate.gov/?p=contact

Harkin, Tom – (D – IA) Class II
731 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3254
Web Form: harkin.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Hatch, Orrin G. – (R – UT) Class I
104 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5251
Web Form: hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Cont...

Hutchison, Kay Bailey – (R – TX) Class I
284 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5922
Web Form: hutchison.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Inhofe, James M. – (R – OK) Class II
453 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4721
Web Form: inhofe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Con...

Inouye, Daniel K. – (D – HI) Class III
722 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3934
Web Form: inouye.senate.gov/Contact/Email-Form.cfm

Isakson, Johnny – (R – GA) Class III
120 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3643
Web Form: isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Johanns, Mike – (R – NE) Class II
404 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4224
Web Form: johanns.senate.gov/public/?p=ContactSenatorJohanns

Johnson, Tim – (D – SD) Class II
136 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5842
Web Form: johnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact

Kerry, John F. – (D – MA) Class II
218 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2742
Web Form: kerry.senate.gov/contact/

Kirk, Mark – (R – IL) Class III
387 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2854

Klobuchar, Amy – (D – MN) Class I
302 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3244
Web Form: klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm

Kohl, Herb – (D – WI) Class I
330 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5653
Web Form: kohl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Kyl, Jon – (R – AZ) Class I
730 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4521
Web Form: kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Landrieu, Mary L. – (D – LA) Class II
328 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5824
Web Form: landrieu.senate.gov/about/contact.cfm

Lautenberg, Frank R. – (D – NJ) Class II
324 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3224
Web Form: lautenberg.senate.gov/contact/routing.cfm

Leahy, Patrick J. – (D – VT) Class III
433 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4242
Web Form: leahy.senate.gov/contact/

LeMieux, George S. – (R – FL) Class III
356 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3041
Web Form: lemieux.senate.gov/public/?p=EmailSenatorLeMieux

Levin, Carl – (D – MI) Class II
269 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6221
Web Form: levin.senate.gov/contact/

Lieberman, Joseph I. – (ID – CT) Class I
706 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4041
Web Form: lieberman.senate.gov/index.cfm/contact/email-me-about-an-...

Lincoln, Blanche L. – (D – AR) Class III
355 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4843
Web Form: lincoln.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Lugar, Richard G. – (R – IN) Class I
306 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4814
Web Form: lugar.senate.gov/contact/

Manchin, Joe, III – (D – WV) Class I
311 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3954
Web Form: manchin.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm

McCain, John – (R – AZ) Class III
241 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2235
Web Form: mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Con...

McCaskill, Claire – (D – MO) Class I
717 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6154
Web Form: mccaskill.senate.gov/?p=contact

McConnell, Mitch – (R – KY) Class II
361A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2541
Web Form: www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=contact

Menendez, Robert – (D – NJ) Class I
528 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4744
Web Form: menendez.senate.gov/contact/

Merkley, Jeff – (D – OR) Class II
107 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3753
Web Form: merkley.senate.gov/contact/

Mikulski, Barbara A. – (D – MD) Class III
503 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4654
Web Form: mikulski.senate.gov/contact/

Murkowski, Lisa – (R – AK) Class III
709 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6665
Web Form: murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact

Murray, Patty – (D – WA) Class III
173 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2621
Web Form: murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm

Nelson, Ben – (D – NE) Class I
720 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6551
Web Form: bennelson.senate.gov/contact-me.cfm

Nelson, Bill – (D – FL) Class I
716 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5274
Web Form: billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Pryor, Mark L. – (D – AR) Class II
255 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2353
Web Form: pryor.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactMe

Reed, Jack – (D – RI) Class II
728 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4642
Web Form: reed.senate.gov/contact/contact-share.cfm

Reid, Harry – (D – NV) Class III
522 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3542
Web Form: reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Risch, James E. – (R – ID) Class II
483 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2752
Web Form: risch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email

Roberts, Pat – (R – KS) Class II
109 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4774
Web Form: www.roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EmailPat

Rockefeller, John D., IV – (D – WV) Class II
531 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6472
Web Form: rockefeller.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Sanders, Bernard – (I – VT) Class I
332 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5141
Web Form: sanders.senate.gov/contact/

Schumer, Charles E. – (D – NY) Class III
313 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6542
Web Form: schumer.senate.gov/new_website/contact.cfm

Sessions, Jeff – (R – AL) Class II
335 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4124
Web Form: sessions.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Constitue...

Shaheen, Jeanne – (D – NH) Class II
520 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2841
Web Form: shaheen.senate.gov/contact/

Shelby, Richard C. – (R – AL) Class III
304 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5744
Web Form: shelby.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactSenatorShelby

Snowe, Olympia J. – (R – ME) Class I
154 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5344
Web Form: snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenat...

Specter, Arlen – (D – PA) Class III
711 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4254
Web Form: specter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Co...

Stabenow, Debbie – (D – MI) Class I
133 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4822
Web Form: stabenow.senate.gov/email.cfm

Tester, Jon – (D – MT) Class I
724 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2644
Web Form: tester.senate.gov/Contact/index.cfm

Thune, John – (R – SD) Class III
493 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2321
Web Form: thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email

Udall, Mark – (D – CO) Class II
317 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5941
Web Form: markudall.senate.gov/?p=contact

Udall, Tom – (D – NM) Class II
110 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6621
Web Form: tomudall.senate.gov/?p=contact

Vitter, David – (R – LA) Class III
516 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4623
Web Form: vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Con...

Voinovich, George V. – (R – OH) Class III
524 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3353
Web Form: voinovich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact....

Warner, Mark R. – (D – VA) Class II
459A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2023

Webb, Jim – (D – VA) Class I
248 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4024
Web Form: webb.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Whitehouse, Sheldon – (D – RI) Class I
502 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2921
Web Form: whitehouse.senate.gov/contact/

Wicker, Roger F. – (R – MS) Class I
555 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6253
Web Form: wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.EMa...

Wyden, Ron – (D – OR) Class III
223 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5244
Web Form: wyden.senate.gov/contact/###########################################################################################################################################################################################

ESA Senator Cut and Paste Letter


Dear Senator

Just days after a Federal Judge Donald Molloy issued his ruling returning Gray Wolves to the protection afforded under the 1973 Endangered Species Act (ESA) there is a House Bill being introduced meant to exclude Gray Wolves from this protection permanently.

House Bill 6028 and Senate Bills S 3825, S 3864 and S3919 would set a precedence that would begin to water down and undermine one of the most historic act’s our elected body has ever achieved. The Endangered Species Act or ESA as it is called. Individuals that had the courage and foresight to protect for future American generations all native living things. To bring balance back to a ecosystem that was torn out of kilter before man had a better understanding on the role living plants and creatures play daily. (Trophic Cascades)
House Bill 6028 being introduced by ( R ) Texas, Chet Edwards is not in the best interest of the majority of average Americans. This bills language would amend the ESA” SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON TREATMENT OF GRAY WOLF AS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES OR THREATENED SPECIES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 4(a) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
‘(4) The Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) shall not be treated as an endangered species or threatened species for purposes of this Act.’

Make no mistake. This HB6028 and Senate Bills 3825, S3864 and S 3919 are being introduced for “Special Interest” groups. These groups believe they are more deserving then the average American citizen. Let me take a moment and share some facts from the 2001, U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service , Federal Aid Survey.
In the United States there are 11 million “Big Game Hunters”. There are 66 million “Wildlife Watchers” in the United States. There is also supporting information that the overall numbers of hunters are declining within the United States. While the numbers of Americans that enjoy Watching Nature are increasing.
Ranchers and Livestock industry weigh heavily into encouraging the proposed change to the ESA. The Agricultural Industry is constantly making statements or attempting to influence our elected officials via “Special Interest Lobbyist” that wolves are a constant threat to their Ranchers and other Agricultural businesses. Nothing could be further from the truth!

In the yearly inter agency wolf report for 2009, written by USFWS, which covers the Northern Rockies, the report stated in part: ….”wolf depredation results in a comparatively small proportion of all livestock losses”. Vultures killed more cows then wolves that year. Coyotes and domestic dogs were in the number one and two position. Even so all predators are responsible for a tiny blip of livestock losses.(NASS 2006).
In a report released from USDA Cattle Death Loss. 104.5 million cattle produced, wolves killed less then 4.400 cattle.

I firmly believe there is an irrational hatred being focused on wolves. Therefore, I would request that you NOT SUPPORT House Bill 6028 or Senate Bills S 3825, S 3864 and S 3919 or any form of amendment made to weaken the Endangered Species Act.

Sincerely,###########################################################################################################################################################################################

Pre-Written Letter Regarding Anti-Wolf Bills


This letter is for you to send to your senators and representatives regarding the multiple anti-wolf/anti-wildlife bills that will exclude gray wolves from being listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. We encourage you to personalize the message before you send it.

Don’t forget to add your name at the bottom and the name of your senator or representative at the top in the spaces provided!

—————

To:
Find a list of your senators at: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Find a list of your representatives at:
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml

Message:
Dear _________,

Gray wolves were once eradicated from the lower 48 states. Today, they are making a slow recovery and inhabit about 5% of their original range. If given time wolves can make a full recovery, however some political powers don’t want to see this happen. Several bills have been submitted, or are in the process of being developed, that will prohibit listing gray wolves as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Some of these bills are limited to the Northern Rockies, where wolves are almost (but not yet) recovered, while others cover the entire country. As a concerned citizen and someone who values all wildlife, I ask you NOT to support any of these bills.

Wolves are a keystone species and are important to our local ecosystems. They encourage healthy biodiversity and improve the overall health of their habitats. When wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone, researchers notice an incredible change in the environment. Wolves prevented the elk from over grazing, which was harming the park and the animals living there. If given the chance, wolves can do the same for the rest of the country. However, if wolf-hating states are given control over wolves while they are still recovering, all of the positive impacts wolves have had on their environments will be lost. States, like Montana and Idaho, plan to keep their wolf populations at an unhealthy and unstably low number in hopes of artificially boosting already overpopulated ungulate herds. Wyoming and Utah, on the other hand, have a “no wolves allowed” management approach. Wolves will not survive under either of these brutal conditions.

If these bills are passed, wolves will not be the only victims. Passing these bills will give way to farther crippling of the Endangered Species Act. Any endangered species that inconveniences someone with power will be the next to lose their vital protections.

Please do not support any anti-wolf and anti-wildlife bills than plan to rewrite wolves out of the Endangered Species Act. Wolves still need to be protected in order to survive in this country.

Thank you for your time,###########################################################################################################################################################################################

Eniromental & Public Works Committee (Review ESA)


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Increased Wolf Population Won’t Affect Deer Season: more proof that wolves aren’t the primary problem.

Posted in Facts and Figures on October 25, 2010| 1 Comment »


Following the 2009 Minnesota deer season, Northland hunters claimed deer populations have been dwindling because of an increase in the wolf population.

However, wildlife biologist John Erb said hunters don’t have anything to be concerned over.

“For the most part there is no reason to be concerned. I think what has happened is that over the last 10-15 years, expectations have been high. We’ve had a very abundant deer population,” Erb said. “Hunters have come accustomed to getting a deer every year and often times on first day or weekend…so we’ve developed some unrealistic expectations what should occur.”

However, hunters’ fears aren’t completely unwarranted. A comprehensive study just completed by the minnesota DNR shows wolves are having an impact on the deer population. The 15-year-long study followed the behavior of 450 collared deer and 55 collared wolves living in the same area.

According to the research, an estimated 3,000 wolves roam Northland woods. It’s believed each wolf requires 15 to 19 adult deer annually. That’s approximately 45,000 to 57,000 deer annually per 3,000 wolves.

“It certainly is a large number, but when you look at that in the context of how many deer there are, it’s not too significant,” Erb said. “It represents, on average, 10 percent of our deer population taken by wolves in a given year.”

Estimates have deer populations near half a million roaming in wolf ranges. This equates to approximately 150 deer per wolf.

“The fact that wolves are present and eat deer doesn’t mean a deer population is affected from one year to the next,” Erb said.

Tough winters and extensive deer harvest from previous years have greater impacts on deer herds.

Wolves are considered a federal endangered species and are protected. Shooting a wolf can elicit maximum fines of $20,000 and loss of hunting licensure.

Thanks to WDIO.com for providing the information.

http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S1801461.shtml?cat=10335

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“Japan went from a country that viewed wolves as benign creatures to one that viewed them as animals that needed to be erased from the landscape.”

Posted in Facts and Figures, Wolf Current Events on October 23, 2010| Leave a Comment »


Not much is said about wolves in Japan but now it’s time!

The Japanese once saw wolves as benign creatures that guarded their crops. Farmers went to shrines to buy wolf talismans they could place around their grain fields for protection. In some places, the kindly Canis lupus was even honored with stone sculptures.

“It was almost the exact opposite of our 18th and 19th centuries in the American West,” says Brett Walker, assistant professor of history at Montana State University-Bozeman.

But then came 1868, a critical year in Japanese history.

The feudal government of the Tokugawa shoguns fell that year, and Japan turned to the West for help. As part of its effort to create a more modern and western-style country, Japan invited Edwin Dun, a rancher from Ohio, to oversee the establishment of a ranching industry on the northernmost island of Hokkaido.

“They believed ranching represented the agricultural future of Hokkaido,” Walker explained.

Dun introduced American ranching techniques to the Niikappu Ranch, but he also introduced American anxieties toward wolves, Walker continued. Dun advised the Hokkaido Development Board to poison wolves and wild dogs with strychnine. Hunting and bounty systems followed. Ultimately, persecution and other ecological factors caused the Hokkaido wolf to become extinct around 1890. The last Japanese wolf was killed in 1905. Both were distinct subspecies of Canis lupus and different from any wolf found in the United States.

“I’m interested in that historical shift. That is, how Japan went from a country that viewed wolves as benign creatures to one that viewed them as animals that needed to be erased from the landscape,” Walker said.

ALTHOUGH SOME REPORT SIGHTINGS, WOLVES IN JAPAN ARE BELIEVED TO BE EXTINCT.  Another failure about lack of efforts to co-exist with an animal long feared and terrorized.  “Wolf Preservation,” along with many other wolf agencies listed on my site, strive to attain the goal of wolves having a place in this world and to paint a complete picture of them.  Thank you to “Wolf Song of Alaska” for providing this information in this article!

http://www.wolfsongalaska.org/Wolves_Japan_parallels.htm

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A few basic differences between wolves, coyotes, foxes, and dogs

Posted in Facts and Figures on October 23, 2010| 2 Comments »


Seeing a wolf in the wild is rare.  From a distance, foxes, coyotes,  and even wild dogs running loose can be mistaken for wolves, which is a common error.  So, what are some differences between them?  Here are a few:

Foxes are much smaller than wolves.  Adult red foxes are not much larger than a house cat, weighing between 10-14 pounds.  Foxes do not hunt in packs while wolves do.  Foxes don’t hunt prey that are much larger than themselves.

Adult Coyotes weigh between 28-35 pounds.  They are larger than foxes but smaller than wolves.  Coyotes are often the same color as wolves but not quite the same shape.  Their legs are shorter, pointier muzzles, and have bigger ears.  Coyotes do not usually hunt in packs.  While Coyotes do howl, it sounds much different than wolves.   Coyote howls are more high pitched and contain barking sounds.

Dogs that can be mistaken for wolves are Siberian Huskies, German Shepherd, and Malamutes.  Generally, wolves have much wider heads, narrower chests, smaller more rounded ears, and do not have curly tails.

So the next time you see a dog-like animal in the distance, keep these facts in mind!

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How accurate was the film “Alpha and Omega” regarding factual information about wolves?

Posted in Facts and Figures on October 11, 2010| Leave a Comment »


Finally, an animated film that shows wolves in a more positive light.  No doubt this is great for the kids!   However, as briefly described in my review of this film, Wolf Preservation separates fact from fiction.  Here are the facts:

1. Do wolves howl at the moon?   No, just as people thought the earth was flat, many believed wolves primarly howled at the moon.

2. Is it true that only the Alpha male and female  howl together?  No, the entire wolf pack expresses a complex mixture of gestures, movements, postures, and vocalizations.  However, the Alpha’s typically mate only with each other.  An Omega has been known to be selected as an Alpha male’s mate, which immediately moved her up the ladder as leader of the pack. 

3.  Is the Alpha, leader of the pack, responsible for leading the pack in hunts?  No, the entire pack works together to hunt.  .  The film separated wolves into two categories:  Alpha and Omega.   The Beta, second in command, was not mentioned  Betas are typically the fastest runner.

4.  Is it dangerous for wolves to hunt caribou?   Yes, the film accurately reflects this.  Wolves success rate of catching caribou is not very high.  Caribou herds have become more alert with wolves present and run quickly.   Caribou can use their hooves as blunt weapons, causing bone fractures and even a fatal blow to the head.  A younger, less experienced wolf could easily become trampled.  This is why younger wolves must learn from more experienced members of the pack.  If a pack loses their more experienced members, it can be devastating to the pack’s survival.

5.  Is the Omega’s role to break tension among other wolf members?  Yes, but it’s not all fun and games.  Since Omegas are last in the social hierarchy, they must submit frequently to higher ranking members, often eating last during meals and can be at the brunt of pack aggression  Omega’s also assist with babysitting pups.  They are still important members of the pack.  Wolves clearly mourn the death of any pack member.

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Welfare Ranchers, Wolves, and the Externalization of Costs

Posted in Facts and Figures, Wolf Preservation Efforts on August 24, 2010| Leave a Comment »


Please read the article provided below regarding reasons why predation can occur.  PREVENTION  is the key!  I’ve included the first paragraph for a preview:

“We continuously hear the livestock industry talking about “problem” wolves—those animals that attack untended livestock. Yet the real issue is “problem ranchers” who externalize one of the costs of doing business—namely operating a livestock operation in a manner that reduces or eliminates predator opportunity.”

http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/welfare_ranchers_wolves_and_the_externalization_of_costs/C37/L37/

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How to co-exist: Wolves and Humans

Posted in Facts and Figures on May 17, 2010| Leave a Comment »


The “International Wolf Center” has produced the Wolves and Humans informational series to help foster wolf/human coexistence.  There are five sections covered: Was that a wolf?, Living with Wolves, Too Close for Comfort, How Can I Help the Wolf,  and Are Wolves Dangerous To Humans?  Check out the link below!

For instance, did you know you have a better chance of being killed by a dog, lightning, bee sting, or a car collision with a deer than being injured by a wolf?  So much for the “Big Bad Wolf!”

http://www.wolf.org/wolves/learn/basic/wolves_humans/wolves_humans.asp

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What is a Wolf Personality like?

Posted in Facts and Figures on April 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »


What is a Wolf Personality Like?Lisa Matthews / Volunteer / Wolf Song of Alaska

All wolves have individual personalities just like people do and no two are alike. Personalities develop through an individual’s unique emotions and thoughts resulting in different behaviors and are influenced by both one’s genetic make-up and the type of things one is exposed to in the living environment. Genetically, different personalities have evolved and persist because, given various environmental conditions, some traits are more advantageous than others at any given time – traits that could help ensure one’s particular survival. We can make some generalities when it comes to describing the wolf personality just like one could do for the entire human species, such as imaginative, intelligent etc. After that, we must take into account the individual differences. Let’s talk about both – the generalities and some documented individual personalities of the wolf.In The Wolf: The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species, by David Mech, it is written that the strongest impression wolves can make on an observer is how friendly they are. Adults are friendly toward each other and amiable towards pups. There is an innate good feeling happening between them. Research has shown us that it appears that this quality in the wolf’s personality is related most directly to the animal’s social nature. Indeed, probably the wolf’s strongest personality trait is its capacity for making emotional attachments to other individuals. Such attachments must form quickly and firmly and they begin to develop when the wolves are just a few weeks old. The pups become distressed when away from familiar individuals and objects and are relieved when they are back near them. This ability to form emotional attachments to other individuals results in the formation of the pack, or family, as the unit of wolf society. When wolf pups are raised by human beings, this social tendency is especially noticeable. The animals usually become extremely attached to the humans and any dogs with which they have early or considerable contact.

A second characteristic of wolf personality might surprise many people who think of wolves as savage and vicious. The reality is that wolves have a basic aversion to fighting and will do much to avoid any aggressive encounters. It has been observed that a tame wolf had become frantically upset upon witnessing its first dog fight. As described in the same book noted above, the distressed wolf intervened and eventually broke up the fight by pulling the aggressor off by the tail. The wolf generally possesses a kind personality that in humans would be labeled “agreeable.” A nonviolent nature usually would be very advantageous, considering that these animals spend most of their time in the company of other wolves. A pack would function very inefficiently if its members were constantly at each other’s throats. Under certain circumstances, however, a wolf can be aggressive, such as when harassing prey, meeting strange wolves, and when protecting the den or pups from other predators. One would naturally deem these situation-specific aggressive behaviors as advantageous as well.

On a side note, it would be wrong to think that aggression is never present in the wolf or any species for that matter (including humans). It would also be wrong to think that gentleness is not present in the wolf or any other species. Life as we know it cannot exist without some aggression just as it could not without cooperation and gentleness (especially among social animals). A balance between aggressive behaviors and cooperation is always being sought with differing degrees of each depending on environmental circumstances which have over time been naturally selected to favor certain behavioral traits.

Most of us have heard by now that the wolf is an extremely intelligent species. Dr. Gordon C. Haber, a noted wolf biologist in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, has said that if you imagine the most unusually intelligent, emotional, and sensitive dog you have ever knownŠ that that’s how all wolves are – that extraordinariness is just commonplace among them. It is necessary for their survival.
Scientists in the social sciences understand that intelligence is a difficult thing to define and measure. When studying even human intelligence, there are all sorts of biases and difficulties making IQ results not an absolute description of one’s intelligence. Nevertheless, we can say that wolves are very intelligent based on the overwhelming evidence that they have a good ability to remember, to associate events, and to learn. In northern Minnesota, where wolves were persecuted extensively by aerial hunters, they soon learned to avoid open areas whenever they heard an aircraft. Once the planes had disappeared the wolves would proceed to cross the open area.

Additionally, land hunters often claim that the wolf is such an intelligent animal that it makes hunting them a mighty challenge. We can see wolves’ ability to adapt in the following example as well: In areas where there are both deer and moose the wolves show a preference to hunt deer (because they are smaller), however, on Isle Royale where the only large prey is moose, the wolves there have learned to kill these animals efficiently. Another example of wolf intelligence involves a tame wolf separated from its alpha human for three years. When they were reunited, the wolf was still was able to recognize the man. The few examples cited above demonstrate that the wolf shows a high degree of adaptability to varying conditions, is able to learn readily, and does retain learned information for a long time.

So what about individual wolf personalities? Indeed, individual wolves vary greatly, as those people who have reared them can attest. Once again, the common idea of the wolf being a ferocious creature is not what people who live closely to wolves for a long time see. What happens is that they are struck by their friendly nature and their varied and unique individual characters. Once more from David Mech’s book noted above, we can find a documented account of the personalities of a variety of wolves held in captivity. The observer characterizes one male wolf as lordly, timid, and luxury-loving. Another wolf, a female, was described as being fearless, happy, playful, and inventive. Another female was described as a hearty, affectionate, not jealous, and of the undemanding sort. One male was seen as aggressive. Finally, the observer described another female as being sober, gentle, and withdrawn.

Others who have enjoyed the company of wolves have described some individuals as confident, tolerant, and generous natural leaders, as wild and playful, as supportive and full of affection, as strong but kind, patient, and dignified, as not confident, less tolerant or easy-going, as happy, resilient and stern, and as relaxed, kind, lovable and never harsh.

Now, hasn’t your personality ever been stifled by the various roles we must play in our society, i.e., having to subordinate yourself to you boss when you’d rather tell him or her how to do things? Often described as the masks we humans must wear to operate within our cultures, wolves must don these superficial masks too! Wolves must role play within their packs befitting to one’s particular status. They are acting. They could just as easily shift from being a dominant wolf to a subordinate wolf and vice versa as conditions change and show all the traits associated with those roles. Keep in mind that a wolf’s real personality is often hidden under the character of his or her social position.

Intelligent, non-aggressive, and friendly with the ability to make strong emotional attachments are among those traits we can generalize about the magnificent wolf. Individual traits seem as varied and as similar to our own. It is of no wonder that so many people feel such an affinity and connection with this beautiful and complex animal.

(Thank you to Wolf Song of Alaska for providing this information)

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Featured in March 2010 National Geographic: WOLF WARS: Once protected, now hunted

Posted in Facts and Figures, Wolf Current Events on April 14, 2010| Leave a Comment »


 I recommend reading the March 2010 edition of National Geographic Magazine featuring, “WOLF WARS, ONCE PROTECTED, NOW HUNTED.” You will discover how man hunted the wolf to near extinction, wolf recovery, discussion on current efforts to co-exist with them, and those who continue to paint a negative, unrealistic view of an animal that has long been misunderstood. This article has stirred me to ask a question: How do you view wolves? Do you love them? Hate them? Can you identify the positive things wolves do? **I’ll give you a few:

Did you know in Yellowstone alone, tens of thousands come to watch wolves each year, adding an estimated $35 million to the area’s economy?

Did you know after people killed the last Yellowstone wolves in 1926, park officials were killing elk by the thousands? The elk kept rebounding and overgrazing key habitats. Elk destroyed streamside willows, cottonwoods, and shrubs that prevent erosion in which many other animals rely on. People also saw a drastic increase in dangerous car accidents with elk. **A healthy fear of wolves keeps elk from lingering at streamsides, where it can be harder to escape attack. This helps increase growth of aspens, willows, cottonwoods, and other vegetations necessary to restore natural water flow, which in turn allows beavers, fish, amphibians, birds, small mammals, and a rich insect population to feed them.

**After wolves were removed, coyotes numbers climbed throughout the United States. Too small to control the elk population, coyote attacks on Yellowstone’s Pronghorn were high. The return of wolves helped Pronghorns bounce back. COUGARS began retreating to the rocky terrain where they normally inhabit when wolves arrived. **One of the most common opposition of wolves are ranchers. Ironically though, wolves are responsible for LESS THAN 1% of all livestock losses. Effective measures taken by ranchers other than exterminating wolves have been effective: range riders, dogs, burying their dead deep, ect. Wolves even walk right through cattle herds to stalk deer. In fact, they prefer WILD prey. Wolves work for their meal—this article even shows x10 wolves from the Slough Creek pack unable to kill ONE bison cow. Bison are large enough to give wolves a challenge because of their horns + hooves. Humans are not the only threat wolves face. Their numbers also decrease due to rivarly wolf packs, injuries from large prey, and the fact that average life span of wolves are 6-7 years (x3 years in Yellowstone!).

“Wolf Wars” concludes, “FOR OUR PART IT SEEMS WE NEED TO FORMULATE BETTER ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS POSED BY THE RETURN OF WOLVES—NOT THE WOLVES IN OUR MINDS BUT THE REAL WOLVES WATCHING FROM THE MOUNTAINSIDES.”

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Frequently Asked Questions About Wolves

Posted in Facts and Figures, tagged , on April 13, 2010| Leave a Comment »


  • How many prey animals do wolves kill per year?

Wolves depend on a variety of large ungulates (hoofed animals) for food. Although studies have been conducted in some areas to determine the actual number of prey killed each year, the results are estimates. For example, an estimate for deer ranges from 15 to 19 adult-sized deer per wolf per year. Given the 2008 estimate of 2922 wolves in Minnesota, for instance, that would equal 43,800 to 58,500 deer killed by wolves. In comparison, hunters killed approximately 260,000 deer in the 2007 deer harvest. Additionally, several thousand deer are killed during collisions with vehicles each year.

  • How many wolves are in a pack?

Pack size is highly variable and fluid because of the birth of pups, dispersal, and mortality. Prey availability and size are also factors. Where prey animals are smaller, packs are often small. Where prey is large, the packs may be larger. For example, in Alaska and northwestern Canada some packs reportedly have over 20 members. One pack (Druid Peak pack) in Yellowstone National Park once swelled to over 30 members, but this is highly unusual and not necessarily an advantage. More pack members means more food must be obtained. Wolf packs are generally largest in late autumn when the nearly-grown pups are strong enough to hunt with the adults. Over the winter months, some wolves may disperse to find mates and territories of their own. Others die, and by spring, before the arrival of a new crop of pups, the pack size has often diminished.

Red wolf packs are generally smaller than gray wolf packs and usually have 2 to 8 members, but a pack of 12 has been observed in the wild.

  • When do wolves breed?

Wolves breed once a year in late winter or early spring depending on where they live. For example, gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes region breed in February to March, while gray wolves in the arctic may breed a few weeks later – in March to April.

Red wolves usually breed in late January or early February.

  • What is the gestation (pregnancy) period of a wolf?

The gestation period (length of pregnancy) of gray and red wolves is usually around 63 days.

  • How many pups are born in a pack each year?

A mature female wolf comes into estrus once a year. Thus, a breeding pair produces one litter of pups each spring, but in areas of high prey abundance more than one female in a pack may give birth. An average litter size for gray and red wolves is 4 to 6, but sometimes fewer pups are born and sometimes more. Several or all may die if food is not readily available for the fast-growing youngsters. Additionally, other predators and diseases such as distemper and canine parvovirus may kill young pups.

  • How much do wolf pups weigh?

Gray and red wolf pups weigh about a pound at birth. The newborns are blind and deaf and depend upon their mother for warmth. In about two weeks, their eyes open, and in three weeks, they emerge from the den and begin to explore their world. Growth is rapid, and by the time the pups are 6 months old, they are almost as big as the adults.

  • How much do adult wolves weigh?

Wolves vary greatly in size depending on where they live. The smallest wolves live in the southern parts of the Middle East where the Arabian wolf may weigh no more than 30 pounds. Adult female gray wolves in northern Minnesota weigh between 50 and 85 pounds, and adult males between 70 and 110 pounds. Gray wolves are larger in the northwestern United States, Canada, and Alaska and in Russia where adult males weigh 85 to 115 pounds and occasionally reach 130 pounds. Males generally weigh about 20 percent more than females. Wolves attain their adult height, length and weight in the first one to two years. Most look like adults by late autumn of their first year.

Red wolves are intermediate in size and appearance between a gray wolf and a coyote. Adult female red wolves weigh 40 to 75 pounds, while males weigh from 50 to 85 pounds.

  • How long and tall are wolves?

As with weight, a wolf’s length and height are variable in different areas of the world. The figures that follow are commonly used to describe the larger subspecies of wolves in North America, Europe and central Asia. They are not accurate for several of the smaller subspecies in the southern latitudes of the Middle East, for example. The average length (tip of nose to tip of tail) of an adult female gray wolf is 4.5 to 6 feet; adult males average 5 to 6.5 feet. The average height (at the shoulder) of a gray wolf is 26 to 32 inches.

The average length (tip of nose to tip of tail) of an adult red wolf is 4.5 to 5.5 feet. The average height (at the shoulder) of an adult red wolf is about 26 inches.

  • How big is a wolf’s track?

The size of a wolf’s track is dependent on the age and size of the wolf, as well as the substrate the track was made in. A good size estimate for a gray wolf’s track size is 4 1/2 inches long by 3 1/2 inches wide. In comparison, a coyote’s track will be closer to 2 1/2 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide. Only a few breeds of dogs leave tracks longer than 4 inches (Great Danes, St. Bernards, and some bloodhounds). Red wolves have smaller feet than gray wolves.

All wolves have feet superbly adapted to long-distance travel over different types of terrain and through (and over!) snow. The wolf’s blocky feet and long, flexible toes conform to uneven terrain, thus allowing the animal to maintain speed when necessary as well as a tireless, ground-eating trot when traveling.

  • How many teeth does an adult wolf have?

Adult gray and red wolves have 42 highly specialized teeth, while adult humans have 32. The canine teeth, or fangs, can be 2 1/2 inches long and are used for puncturing and gripping. The incisors are for nipping small pieces of meat; the carnaissial teeth are like scissors and knives. Wolves use them to sheer flesh away from bones. Molars are for grinding and crushing.

  • How strong are wolves’ jaws?

The massive molars and powerful jaws of a wolf are used to crush the bones of its prey. The biting capacity of a wolf is 1,000 to 1,500 pounds of pressure per square inch. The strength of a wolf’s jaws makes it possible to bite through a moose femur in six to eight bites. In comparison, a German shepherd has a biting pressure of 750 pounds per square inch. A human has a much lower biting pressure of 300 pounds per square inch.

  • What do wolves eat?

Wolves are carnivores, or meat eaters. Gray wolves prey primarily on ungulates – large, hoofed mammals such as white-tailed deer, mule deer, moose, elk, caribou, bison, Dall sheep, musk oxen, and mountain goats. Medium-sized mammals, such as beaver and snowshoe hares, can be an important secondary food source. Occasionally wolves will prey on birds or small mammals such as mice and voles, but these are supplementary to their requirements for large amounts of meat. Wolves have been observed catching fish in places like Alaska and western Canada. They will also kill and eat domestic livestock such as cattle and sheep, and they will consume carrion if no fresh meat is available. Some wolves eat small amounts of fruit, although this is not a significant part of their diet. If prey is abundant, wolves may not consume an entire carcass, or they may leave entire carcasses without eating. This is called “surplus killing” and seems inconsistent with the wolves’ habit of killing because they are hungry. Surplus killing seems to occur when prey are vulnerable and easy to catch – in winter, for instance, when there is deep snow. Since wolves are programmed to kill when possible, they may simply be taking advantage of unusual situations when wild prey are relatively easy to catch They may return later to feed on an unconsumed carcass, or they may leave it to a host of scavengers. Additionally, they may cache food and dig it up at a later time.

Red wolves primarily prey on white-tailed deer, raccoons, rabbits, nutria and other rodents.

  • How much do wolves eat?

Getting enough to eat is a full-time job for a wolf. When wolves catch and kill a large mammal, they will gorge and then rest while the food is being rapidly digested. They will generally consume all but the hide, some of the large bones and skull and the rumen (stomach contents of ungulates) of their prey. Gray wolves can survive on about 2 1/2 pounds of food per wolf per day, but they require about 7 pounds per wolf per day to reproduce successfully. The most a large gray wolf can eat at one time is about 22.5 pounds. Adult wolves can survive for days and even weeks without food if they have to. Growing pups, however, require regular nourishment in order to be strong enough to travel and hunt with the adults by the autumn of their first year. Wolves often rely on food they have cached after a successful hunt in order to see them through lean times.

Red wolves may eat 2 to 5 pounds of food per day when prey is abundant. Because they are smaller than gray wolves, they can consume less at one time than their larger cousins. But like all wolves, eating for red wolves is a matter of “feast” followed by “famine.”

  • How many prey animals do wolves kill per year?

Wolves depend on a variety of large ungulates (hoofed animals) for food. Although studies have been conducted in some areas to determine the actual number of prey killed each year, the results are estimates. For example, an estimate for deer ranges from 15 to 19 adult-sized deer per wolf per year. Given the 2008 estimate of 2922 wolves in Minnesota, for instance, that would equal 43,800 to 58,500 deer killed by wolves. In comparison, hunters killed approximately 260,000 deer in the 2007 deer harvest. Additionally, several thousand deer are killed during collisions with vehicles each year.

  • How long do wolves live?

It is misleading to say that wolves in the wild live an average of a certain number of years. There are so many variables. Some wolves die soon after they are born, and others are killed or die in early or middle adulthood. Members of the dog family like wolves and domestic dogs can live to be 15 or 16 years old – sometimes even older. Dogs and wolves in captivity have a better shot at making it to a ripe old age because they usually receive routine veterinary care and regular meals. However, wild wolves have a tough life filled with pitfalls (see question #19). Many pups don’t make it through the first winter of their lives. Those that survive the first two years have a pretty good chance of living another two to four years if they can avoid fatal injury and if they can get enough to eat. Some wild wolves do live to be 9 or 10, and there are verified records of a few living into their early teens.

  • What do wolves die from?

The natural causes of wolf mortality are primarily starvation, which kills mostly pups, and death from other wolves because of territory fights. Diseases such as mange, canine parvovirus and distemper can be killers both in small and recovering populations and in some established populations as well. Evidence suggests, however, that large wolf populations build up a resistance to canine parvovirus. Lyme disease also infects wolves, and heartworm can reduce a wolf’s endurance by restricting blood flow to the lungs. Injuries caused by prey result in some deaths. The large mammals that wolves hunt and kill can inflict mortal injuries with antlers and hooves. Human-caused mortality including legal (hunting and trapping in some locales) and illegal (poaching) activities can be high in some populations. Wolves are sometimes hit by cars in areas where road density is high. Pup mortality rates are highly variable, but approximately 40 to 60% of wolf pups die each year.

  • How fast can wolves run?

Wolves will travel for long distances by trotting at about five miles per hour. They can run at speeds of 36 to 38 miles per hour for short bursts while chasing prey. Although bursts of maximum speed are relatively short, wolves can maintain pursuit of running prey animals for long distances and over rough terrain.

  • How far can wolves travel?

Wolves are hunters, and they travel far and wide to locate prey. They may travel 50 miles or more each day in search of food, and they are superbly designed for a life on the move. Because their elbows turn inward, their lean bodies are precisely balanced over their large feet. With their long legs and ground-eating stride, they can travel tirelessly for hours on end with no energy wasted. Dispersing wolves, those leaving packs in search of their own mates, have been known to travel hundreds of miles away from their home territory. Satellite and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) collars allow researchers to document the truly remarkable travels of wolves.

  • Why do wolves howl?

The howl of the wolf is one of nature’s most evocative and powerful sounds. The haunting chorus of wolves howling is beautiful – or frightening depending on one’s point of view. Wolves howl to communicate with one another. They locate members of their own pack by howling, and they often engage in a group howl before setting off to hunt. The howl is a clear warning to neighboring wolves to stay away.

  • Are wolves dangerous to people?

In a word, the general answer is no. Wolves typically avoid people. BUT! There are several well-documented accounts of wild wolves attacking people in North America, and although there were no witnesses, a 2007 inquest determined that a young man killed in northern Saskatchewan in 2005 died as a result of a wolf attack. Accounts of wolves killing people persist in India and in Russia and parts of central Asia. It is a fact that when wild animals become habituated to people, they may lose their fear of humans, especially if they are fed or if they associate humans with providing food. Like any large predator, wolves are perfectly capable of killing people. No one should ever encourage a wolf or any other wild animal to approach, and hikers and campers should take all necessary precautions to prevent mishaps involving wildlife.

*Special Thanks to the International Wolf Center for this wonderful information!

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