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Archive for the ‘Wolf Preservation Efforts’ Category

The Humane Society of the United States Files Notice of Suit to Restore Federal Protection for Great Lakes Wolves

Posted in Wolf Current Events, Wolf Legislation, Wolf Organizations, Wolf Preservation Efforts on October 18, 2012| 1 Comment »


October 15, 2012

“On the day of the first public wolf hunting and trapping season in the Great Lakes region in more than 40 years, The Humane Society of the United States and The Fund for Animals served notice that they will file suit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore federal protections for Great Lakes wolves under the Endangered Species Act. The groups are also asking the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota to postpone wolf hunting and trapping until the case can be decided on the merits.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s most recent decision to delist wolves became effective earlier this year, after multiple previous attempts to delist wolves were struck down by the courts over the course of the last decade.

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service put faith in the state wildlife agencies to responsibly manage wolf populations, but their overzealous and extreme plans to allow for trophy hunting and recreational trapping immediately after de-listing demonstrate that such confidence was unwarranted,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO for The HSUS. “Between Minnesota’s broken promise to wait five years before hunting wolves, and Wisconsin’s reckless plan to trap and shoot hundreds of wolves in the first year, it is painfully clear that federal protection must be reasserted. The states have allowed the most extreme voices to grab hold of wolf management, and the result could be devastating for this species.”

In Minnesota, hunters and trappers can kill as many as 400 of the estimated 3,000 wolves in the state. That is additive to the damage control killing, poaching, and other forms of human-caused mortality.

In Wisconsin, the quota for killing wolves in the state is roughly 24 percent of the estimated wolf population in the state. Including depredations, illegal kills, and vehicle collisions, the human-caused death toll could be more than 50 percent of the wolf population – nearly double the level of human-caused mortality the best available science indicates the population can withstand.

Some lawmakers in Michigan, where livestock owners are already allowed to use lethal means as a first resort when a gray wolf preys upon livestock, are pushing for legislation that would create an open sport hunting season on wolves.

The groups have filed today a 60-day notice of their intent to sue over the rule – as required under the Endangered Species Act. If the agency does not reconsider the delisting rule over the next 60 days, The HSUS and The Fund for Animals will ask a federal court to reinstate federal ESA protection for gray wolves in the western Great Lakes region. Both organizations had hoped that sensible policies would prevail in the states, and also took note of the legal claims filed by other organizations seeking to avert reckless killing of wolves.  Those cases have not resolved several of our concerns favorably for the wolves, leading us to file notice to sue.”

**Special thanks to The Humane Society of the United States for providing this information!  (http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2012/10/great-lakes-wolves-suit-101512.html)

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California agrees to study protections for gray wolf

Posted in Wolf Current Events, Wolf Preservation Efforts on October 3, 2012| Leave a Comment »


FILE – This May 8, 2012 file photo provided by the California Department of Fish  and Game shows OR-7, the Oregon wolf that has trekked across two states looking  for a mate, on a sagebrush hillside in Modoc County, Calif. State wildlife  officials could move a step closer to listing the gray wolf as an endangered  species in California. The gray wolf has been considered extinct in the state  for decades, but a wolf born in Oregon that crossed the border has rejuvenated  efforts to protect the species in the Golden State. That wolf, OR-7, is thought  to be an indication that revitalized wolf populations in other Western states  are making an expected push into California’s wildlands. Photo: California  Department Of Fish And Game / AP

“SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — As  California’s lone gray wolf continues roaming the state’s far northern wilds,  officials Wednesday decided to launch a one-year study to see whether the  species should be given state endangered species protections.

The California  Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously in Sacramento that a “status  review” study — spurred by a petition from the Center  for Biological Diversity and other groups — is warranted.

“Wolves, like grizzly bears,  white sharks and mountain lions, have always been controversial,” said Michael  Sutton, the commission’s vice president. “The status review we launched  today will give us the information we need to make an informed decision on  whether or not to protect the wolf in California.”

Ranchers and at least three  rural counties in the state’s rugged, sparsely populated north opposed the plan,  saying it was an unnecessary use of public money for a species that already has  federal protection. While the actual cost of the state’s one-year study is  unknown, it will be at least partially funded by a $300,000  federal grant.

Endangered species protections  for the gray wolf in California have been debated since December, when the  Oregon-born wolf called OR-7 left his pack and wandered across the border  seeking a mate.

It was the first hard evidence  of a wolf in the state in more than 80 years, according to the California  Department of Fish and Game. The wolf was hunted to extinction in California  in the early 20th century.

OR-7 is still believed to be the  only wolf in the state. The male wolf is outfitted with a tracking tag so he can  be studied by government scientists.

Noah  Greenwald, the Center for Biological Diversity’s endangered species  director, said the vote moves the wolves closer to recovery  in California.

“Protection of wolves under the  California Endangered Species Act will help these beautiful animals return to  extensive habitat in northern California and the Sierra Nevada, where scientists  estimate there is plenty of room for them,” he said.

Since December, California’s  lone wolf has become a celebrity, with its own Twitter account and frequent  state updates on his whereabouts.

Gray wolves in California are  already protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. But populations in  some Western states have been increasing, meaning they could qualify for  delisting. Wildlife advocates want the state to ensure future protections in  California if federal ones are dropped.

In some states where wolf  populations have thrived, officials have implemented hunting programs to  control growth.

“(Hunting) may affect future  expansion,” said Eric  Loft, chief of the Fish  and Game Department‘s wildlife branch.

Officials in several counties in  the far north said the department’s resources should be used to develop a  management plan for the wolf, not on a study for protections they see  as redundant.

“The people promulgating this  affair have shown no evidence of caring about the (financial) burden this places  on the people of California,” said Ric  Costales, a natural resources policy specialist for Siskiyou County. “Added  to this is the insult that this is occurring at a time when the state and  counties are struggling financially.””

**Special thanks to JASON DEAREN, Associated Press for providing this information!

 

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Lawsuit Launched to Protect Rare Alaskan Wolf

Posted in Wolf Current Events, Wolf Preservation Efforts on July 10, 2012| 3 Comments »


For Immediate Release, July 10, 2012

Contact: Rebecca Noblin, Center for Biological Diversity, (907) 274-1110
Larry Edwards, Greenpeace, (907) 747-7557

Obama Administration Delays Protection for Alexander Archipelago Wolf Threatened by
Logging in Tongass National Forest

“ANCHORAGE, Alaska— The Center for Biological Diversity and Greenpeace notified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today of their intent to file suit against the agency for delaying Endangered Species Act protection for the Alexander Archipelago wolf, a rare subspecies of gray wolf found only in the old-growth forests of southeast Alaska. In August 2011 the groups filed a petition to protect the wolves, which are at risk of extinction because of the U.S. Forest Service’s unsustainable logging and road-building practices in the Tongass National Forest. The Service, which was required by the Endangered Species Act to determine whether listing may be warranted within 90 days of the filing, has not yet responded to the petition.

“The existence of this unique wolf is imperiled by ongoing old-growth logging that adds to the high loss of quality wildlife habitat, which has occurred across all land ownerships in the forests of southeast Alaska over the past six decades,” said Greenpeace forest campaigner Larry Edwards. “The ongoing logging is further reducing and fragmenting forest habitat, to the detriment of the wolf and its deer prey.”

Heavily reliant on old-growth forests, Alexander Archipelago wolves den in the root systems of very large trees and hunt mostly Sitka black-tailed deer, which are themselves dependent on high-quality, old-growth forests, especially for winter survival. A long history of clear-cut logging on the Tongass and private and state-owned lands has devastated much of the wolf’s habitat on the islands of southeast Alaska.

Logging on the Tongass also brings new roads, making wolves vulnerable to hunting and trapping. As many as half the wolves killed on the Tongass are killed illegally, and hunting and trapping are occurring at unsustainable levels in many areas. Despite scientific evidence showing that Alexander Archipelago wolf populations will not survive in areas with high road density, the Forest Service continues to build new logging roads in the Tongass. Road density is an urgent concern on heavily fragmented Prince of Wales Island and neighboring islands, home to an important population of the wolves.

“There’s no excuse for delaying protections for these unique island wolves of the Tongass,” said Rebecca Noblin, Alaska director of the Center for Biological Diversity. “More and more Alexander Archipelago wolves are falling victim to irresponsible logging of these ancient trees, as well as unsustainable hunting. If the Fish and Wildlife Service doesn’t act soon to protect this highly specialized predator, America is going to lose another precious piece of its biological heritage.”

The Fish and Wildlife Service considered listing the wolf under the Act in the mid-1990s but chose not to do so, based on new protective standards set out in the Forest Service’s 1997 Tongass Forest Plan. Unfortunately, as outlined in the groups’ 2011 petition, the Forest Service has not adequately implemented those standards.

This week’s 60-day notice of intent to sue is a legally required precursor before a lawsuit can be filed to compel the Fish and Wildlife Service to comply with the law and act to save these wolves.”

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 375,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

Greenpeace is the leading independent campaigning organization that uses
peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and to promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.

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Patricia Randolph’s Madravenspeak: Let’s howl with the wolves, not kill them

Posted in Wolf Preservation Efforts on July 8, 2012| 4 Comments »


“Wolves are the intelligent and majestic ancestors of man’s best friend, dogs. Should they be honored as spiritual companions, respecting Anishinaabe Indian traditions? Should they be killing fodder for the hound dogs and trappers, inflicting animal cruelty no other state provides — wolf/dog fights?

Are human beings really qualified to micromanage nature — or would benign neglect and ecotourism be the path forward? It is humans who are ravaging the climate and oceans — destroying other species at an unprecedented rate. Should we just leave well enough alone and focus on managing our own populations, violence and excesses? I think so.

The core solution is democratizing nature policy, replacing killing license funding with general public funding of the Department of Natural Resources. Fair pay, fair say.

The extreme animal cruelty involved in hunting and trapping is made obvious in the proposed management and quotas of killing wolves. Wisconsin has 3.4 million cattle, 1.4 million deer — and we have a problem with 800 wolves?

The DNR-recommended quotas are 142-233 wolf kills in seven zones over four and a half months. Add in 37 wolves already killed with landowner and USDA permits. Add the usual conservative annual estimate of 100 killed illegally and you get a third of wolf packs destroyed and dispersed randomly. The minimum wolf population goal set 20 years ago was 350. Since then science has revealed how essential wolves are to the integrity of whole ecosystems. They are the best protection we have against chronic wasting disease in the deer herd.

George Meyer, head of the killer coalition, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, clamors, “There is a need to manage the wolf population to a lower level. The quotas might be too conservative, though, to actually accomplish that goal.” The goal of the bear hounders and trappers. Not science. Not healthy ecosystems.

The quotas and methods have drawn fire from DNR wildlife managers Dick Thiel and Randy Jurewicz and UW wolf researcher Adrian Treves. The season is absurdly long and the use of dogs and trapping is gratuitous abuse. Treves’ studies showing extremely low wolf predation of livestock and 91 percent predictability of which few wolves predate, concentrated on 6 percent of wolf territory. Two or three guard dogs kept on farms in those areas are perceived as competing wolf packs, a successful strategy averting human/wolf conflicts. The biologists advocated no wolf hunt and cautious use of landowner kill licenses.

Treves predicted that this extremely abusive assault on wolves would be contested in lawsuits under the Wildlife Public Trust Doctrine, which states that wildlife is to be protected in trust for all citizens.

Jody Habush Sinykin, Midwest Environmental Advocates attorney, laid out before the Natural Resources Board how the wolf kill bill could be contested under animal cruelty laws. She cited the 2009 case of the Kuenzi brothers, who ran over deer with snowmobiles, leaving them crippled and dying. They also tied deer to trees and tortured them. The Kuenzis argued this was just part of hunting tradition and the laws applied only to domestic animals. The appellate ruling clarified that animal cruelty laws apply to wildlife.

Sinykin informed the board that the law could be used to keep the DNR from allowing hunting with dogs and some other practices. “When wolves and dogs mix, there are going to be few standing. It will result in fatalities, euthanasia,” she said.

Dave Clausen, NRB chair, echoed her, “You’re looking at a wolf/dog fight. That would have some very negative connotations. I think we should be very careful about allowing (this).”

Rachel Tilseth is one of the 300 volunteer wolf trackers, following wolves for 15 years near Menomonie in Dunn County. She has learned to love them. She is starting an ecotourism business, taking people out to howl with the wolves. She plans to work with the International Crane Foundation. She is collaborating with a tour group out of Delaware, coming in October for wolf tracking, and she will be working with local hotels and businesses. She has contacted the Tourism Board and the DNR for support.

How will the DNR balance wolf, crane and bear ecotourism with destroying the attractions? Tilseth sent an email saying, “I think comparing the pristine ecosystem to the wolf bleeding to death is a great way to get Wisconsinites to think about hunting versus wildlife viewing.”

Patricia Randolph of Portage is a longtime activist for wildlife. madravenspeak@gmail.com or www.wiwildlifeethic.org

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Wolves return to the Pacific Northwest

Posted in Wolf Preservation Efforts, Wolves and educational activities on July 4, 2012| 3 Comments »


“Film about Northwest wolves airs July 7th

Discovery Channel premieres a new special on July 7th. The 90-minute documentary follows an expedition team into the Cascade Mountains to discover the fate of Washington’s pioneer pack of wolves, the Lookout Pack, with surprising results.

SATURDAY, JULY 7th, Discovery Channel, 8:00 pm PT/ET*
(*Check local listings, as times may vary)

Wolves are making a comeback in the Northwest, but they face challenges from illegal killing and loss of habitat. It’s up to all of us to decide their future.

About the documentary: Man vs. Wolf

Few other animals inspire such passion as the wolf. For thousands of years they were America’s most widely distributed predator. European colonists brought centuries-old animosity toward the wolf with them to North America, and as Americans and their livestock expanded west, local predator control escalated into a full-scale wolf-eradication program. By the early 20th century, more than a million wolves had been poisoned, trapped, or shot. Pushed to the brink of extinction, the wolf found protection under the 1973 Endangered Species Act (ESA) only to be stripped of that protection in the northern Rockies by the U.S. Congress in 2011. As rumors of new wolf packs in the Pacific Northwest abound, Discovery Channel explores the sightings in Man vs. Wolf which premieres on Saturday, July 7 at 8 PM ET/PT (check local listings).

Man vs. Wolf follows an elite team through the rugged terrain of one of America’s great wilderness areas, the Cascade Mountains in Washington State, as they search for an elusive and mysterious pack of 10 wolves, the “Lookout Pack,” rumored to be in the area. These wolves were the first to have been discovered there in nearly 100 years. Team leader Jasmine Minbashian, of Conservation Northwest, wolf tracker Isaac Babcock, and wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan spend eight weeks in the Cascade Mountains spanning a six-month period to not only confirm the existence of the wolf pack but document their presence on camera.

The ESA brought protection to wolves in 1973 and in May 2011, for the first time ever, the U.S. Congress removed an animal, the Northern Rockies gray wolf, from the ESA’s protection, taking away the very protection that prevented its annihilation. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is now considering whether or not wolves in the Pacific Northwest warrant protection.

In addition to investigating the “Lookout Pack” sightings, Man vs. Wolf also uncovers how the possibility of a wolf pack’s existence can lead some to take forceful actions, and the results from those actions.

Are wolves back in the Pacific Northwest to stay? How did they make their way into the Cascades? Are they establishing breeding populations? As more sightings of wolves are reported closer to major cities, finding these astute animals and the answers to these questions, and more, has never been as important. It will require every ounce of field skill and technical expertise Minbashian and the crew can muster.

Man vs. Wolf was executive produced by Tim Martin with Jonny Keeling, Susanna Handslip, and Rowan Musgrave for BBC and executive produced by James Manfull with John Cavanagh for Discovery Channel.”

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Wolf Connection & the 13 Grandmothers – Documentary

Posted in Wolf Preservation Efforts, Wolves and educational activities on July 2, 2012| 6 Comments »


“WHAT AN AMAZING STORY WE HAVE IN OUR HANDS!! … and we launched a 20-day funding campaign to get everyone on board.

THIS IS TRULY A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY to document a journey that may never happen again!! … and you can be part of it with your input, your backing, and even coming with us on the road if you are up for it!

Wolf Connection’s pack of Ambassadors has been invited to participate in a sacred gathering …The International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers is holding their 11th Council Gathering in Lame Deer, Montana at the end of July. This special event is the culmination of The Ride Home, a nearly 1,400 mile horseback ride in Remembrance of the Cheyenne Exodus of 1878.

“The International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers represents a global alliance of prayer, education and healing for the Earth, all Her inhabitants, all the children and for the next seven generations to come. They bring together a wealth of sacred wisdom from world-wide traditions that honors intuition and spirit in a way that is often absent from daily life. The purpose of the Ride and Council is generational healing and a uniting between tribes to become one tribe – of humankind.”

Both the grandmothers and event organizers felt that Wolf Medicine and the long history of connection between wolf and man needed to be part of this gathering. We are honored that they felt that our human and wolf pack is a worthy representative of this unique bond.

On the week of July 16th, staff, backing guests, and three members of our pack will be journeying to meet the horse riders in South Dakota and travel the last 110 miles of The Ride Home in order to arrive at Lame Deer, Montana together and participate in the Council with the Grandmothers.

Now, n order to get there, we have to drive through several wolf-hunting states which will make journey unpredictable and the film all the more interesting.

As you can imagine, this is a huge logistic undertaking! … BUT with your super cool backing we are going to document every aspect of the journey in a film that will preserve the this amazing experience so it can be passed on.

THE FILM:

This documentary will send a powerful global message on our often-forgoten kindship and deep bond with animals in general and wolves in particular, and their key role in our survival on this planet AND on the importance of traditional ritual and ceremony as a way to unite humanity.

IT WILL INCLUDE:

* BEFORE: Training of the animals, preparation of the vehicles, film pre-production, and logistics planning

* DURING: The trip to and from Montana through wolf-hunting territory with all the unexpected situations that can create. The encounter with the horse riders and the united journey to meet the Grandmothers. The meeting with the 13 Grandmothers and wolf blessing.

* AFTER: Journey back to California, conclusion and learnings, post production.

LOGISTICS:

There are many elements that need to be considered in a trip like this:

* The first challenge is the management of the animals which requires great knowledge and a deep bond and connection with them. We are transporting 85-130 lb highly active animals in small travelling cages next to each other (travelling, feeding, and sleeping). This means they must have breaks every 2-3 hours to relieve themselves and exercise to prevent them from accumulating anxiety that could be vented on each other or the handlers. Each time we get them out of the cage we run the risk of them not wanting to go back in. Oh Well :/

* We are crossing several states where wolves are being hunted and people may have a less-than-friendly attitude towards them. This makes it challenging to find safe places to stop for provisions and spend the night. This must be mapped in advance with options for camping grounds and RV parks along the way. That’s the reason we will be using a travelling trailer with a full bathroom and kitchen which will give us the much-needed independence.

* We cannot run the risk of mechanical difficulties that would leave us stranded with a pack of wolves in unfriendly territory, so both the pulling truck and the trailer must be in excellent operating condition.

* Last, but not least, a trip like this will be physically and mentally demanding on the crew. We must make sure that we have all the supplies and resources needed for a minimal level of comfort and replenishment.

* The film crew will be traveling in a separate vehicle to have the independence needed to shoot the caravan on the road, leaving from and arriving to places.”

For more information regarding this project and the case, please visit their website at: 
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wolfconnection/wolf-connection-and-the-13-grandmothers-documentar

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Lost Idaho wolf pup headed to new home in Virginia

Posted in Wolf Current Events, Wolf Preservation Efforts on June 28, 2012| 3 Comments »


Well my wolf friends, here is a bit of good news in light of all the bad scenarios happening for wolves right now.

“A “puppy” picked up by campers in Idaho last month turned out to be a wolf. Since no wolf pack could be found to return it to, the pup is now headed for Busch Gardens in Virginia, which has experience raising wolves in captivity.

By The Spokesman-Review

A lost wolf pup left Boise Wednesday morning on its way to a new home and family in Virginia.

Idaho Fish and Game officials selected Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va., from a list of potential facilities willing to accept the wolf.

Last month, out-of-town campers picked up what they thought was a lost domestic puppy outside Ketchum and took it to a vet clinic in town. Officials thought the male puppy looked like it might be a wolf. A DNA test proved them right — it is a wild wolf, but no pack was found in the area.

Zoo Boise took care of the pup while a list of facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that would be suitable for the pup was compiled.

Busch Gardens was chosen for several reasons, officials said. It has had wolves for more than 12 years, and recently received two 6-week-old pups. The National Zoo sends its staffers there to get captive-wolf training.

Busch Gardens also has been active in Mexican wolf recovery, and it sponsors a fund that has contributed more than $10 million worldwide to wildlife conservation.”

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Wolves Protected During Fire Evacuations

Posted in Wolf Current Events, Wolf Preservation Efforts on June 16, 2012| 1 Comment »


LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)

“A lot of planning went into keeping the animals that make their home at a wolf sanctuary in a remote area of Rist Canyon in Larimer County safe from the High Park Fire.

The Wolf sanctuary knew it would be tough to evacuate 30 wild animals so they built underground bunkers. They showed CBS4 some of the video that proved the fire dens worked and 17 wolves are safe because of the structures.

Over the weekend the flames were only a few miles away as the High Park Fire began to blow up. Volunteers at Wolf started tranquilizing 13 of the animals and taking them to safety.

“We went first for the animals that didn’t have dens and worked backwards from there. Unfortunately we ran out of time before we could get all the animals out,” said primary animal caretaker Michelle Proulx.

“Last year when we had the Crystal Mountain Fire, we started developing the idea for fire dens. They’re basically concrete structures we have buried into the mountain side to allow the animals to get out of the flames and smoke in the event we were unable to evacuate them for a fire.”

For the first few days of the week no one knew if the man-made dens worked until an employee was allowed back into the sanctuary.

 

“As we look up this fence line we see scorched trees and scorched ground on the left. Untouched ground to the right,” said Proulx.

One building on the sanctuary grounds was destroyed by fire but the wolf habitat was left standing. The fire had burned right up to the enclosure and left the wolves unharmed.

“And a wolf, happy and healthy,” said Proulx.

For the wolves that didn’t have a den, they’re in a smaller kennel at a volunteer’s house. Now the sanctuary is trying to figure out what to do next.

“It would be ideal to not have to go back to a fire disaster area to keep caring for the animals. The tricky part is finding good locations for them to go,” said Proulx.

The 17 wolf dogs remain in Rist Canyon in part because of the difficulty of tracking them down and putting them in kennels. Many of the wolves had to be shot with tranquilizer darts to subdue them so they could be relocated.”

**Special thanks to CBS Denver for providing this information!

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Rolling Ad Confronts Politicians with the Face of Wolf Killing

Posted in Wolf Current Events, Wolf Preservation Efforts on May 9, 2012| 1 Comment »


THIS PHOTO IS OF JOSH BRANSFORD, PLEASED WITH THE SCENE GOING ON BEHIND HIM. Feel free to contact him at 23 HC 1 #23 Elk City, ID 83525, 208-842-2925, jbransford@fs.fed.us (however, do not threaten him, as we don’t want to stoop that low).

“Photos of dead and maimed wolves recently posted online have started a firestorm of controversy over renewed hunting and trapping of the once federally protected animals.
 
Environmental Action, a national environmental organization founded in 1970 that helped push for passage of the Endangered Species Act decades ago, has been leading an online campaign to build support for protecting wolves again. But this week they took their campaign, including grisly photos of bloodied and trapped wolves, to the streets of Washington, D.C., to provoke a response from politicians and regulators.
 
“Letting wolves be hunted and killed again was a political decision made by shallow political interests,” explained Director Drew Hudson. “We need to confront shallow politics with the real, gut-wrenching photos of what this policy means—that an iconic American species important to our ecosystems and our vision of the west  is being brutally hunted to extinction, again. Anyone who can look at these photos and do nothing is a coward, or worse a politician.”
 
The advertisement was funded by dozens of small donors who chipped in online after signing a petition to the President and Congress asking them to re-list the wolf as an endangered species.”

*Special thanks to Environmental Action for providing the text in this posting!

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Some Ojibwe tribal members object to wolf hunting and trapping

Posted in Wolf Current Events, Wolf Preservation Efforts on May 7, 2012| 2 Comments »


Written by By Tom Robertson Minnesota Public Radio,

“Some Ojibwe in Minnesota are worried about the fate of the state’s wolf population as state lawmakers consider a hunting and trapping season for the animals.
Wolves were removed from the federal endangered species list last year, and that upsets some tribal members. For many Ojibwe, wolves are important to traditional culture. Some believe wolves are sacred, and they want to see protections continue.
A painting of two wolves hangs prominently on the living room wall in Mary Favorite’s home in Wauben on the White Earth Indian Reservation.
Favorite is a tribal elder and a member of the wolf clan. That means many in her large, extended family associate themselves very closely with the animal. Favorite considers wolves among her relatives.
“It’s very special to me. When I read that in the paper that they were thinking about… passing a law about killing the wolves,” Favorite said. “It broke my heart.”
Favorite remembers decades ago when gray wolves nearly disappeared. Now there are an estimated 3,000 gray wolves in Minnesota.
The Department of Natural resources proposes to let hunters and trappers kill 400 wolves this fall. Favorite hates the idea.
“I thought, ‘Oh my God,'” she said. “It’s like they want to come in here and they want to shoot my brothers and my sisters.”
It’s not just members of the wolf clan who are upset about a possible wolf hunting season. Favorite’s husband, Andy, is a historian and retired tribal college teacher. For traditional Ojibwe across the upper Midwest, wolves are sacred, Andy Favorite said.
“In our creation stories and a lot of our other legends, the wolf is very prominent. A lot of our spirits come in the form of these creatures, so it’s a very spiritual thing,” he said. “If the tribes have the spiritual moxie, they will step in and do something to protect the wolves.”
Some Minnesota tribes have already done that. In 2010, the Red Lake Band of Ojibwe was the first to adopt a wolf management plan. They designated the band’s 843,000 acres of land as a wolf sanctuary.

Red Lake is unique because it’s considered a closed reservation. That means most of the land is owned and controlled by the tribe.
In most of Minnesota’s other reservations, regulating hunting is more complicated because there’s a checkerboard of land ownership. Those tribes regulate what happens on tribal land, but the state regulates hunting licenses for state land or land owned by non-American Indians.
In February, tribal officials at White Earth passed a resolution banning hunting and trapping on tribal lands. The tribe will only allow a wolf hunt for specific ceremonial purposes, or if wolves are causing problems with livestock or humans. Tribal natural resource managers said it’s unclear how many wolves are on the reservation, but there are only a few known packs.
Other Minnesota tribes are drafting their own wolf policies.
Tribal activist Bob Shimek has been involved in the politics of wolves since the 1980s. He said many Ojibwe people believe there is a strong historic parallel between wolves and Indians that has been foretold in tribal legends‚ “what happens to one, happens to the other.” He compares bounties on wolves to government policies of the past that tried to exterminate American Indians.
“Indians and wolves have always been a political sore point here in America,” he said. “It has always been about clearing the howling wilderness of those savages and those wolves and making it safe for pilgrims and settlers.”
Shimek and others are unhappy the state has not consulted with the tribes about managing wolves.
DNR officials say they plan to talk with the tribes once the Legislature establishes a framework for a hunting season. Dan Stark, a large carnivore specialist for the DNR, said the goal is to balance wide-ranging interests in wolves. Farmers and ranchers who lose livestock to wolves support keeping the wolf population in check. In 2011, there were more than 100 verified complaints of wolves attacking livestock or pets.
There are also sporting groups that want a chance to hunt or trap wolves for recreation, Stark said.
“It’s a pretty emotional topic for a lot of people,” Stark said. “But I think that the wolf population in Minnesota is secure and we’re going to make sure that however this develops, that we have wolves in the state and that wolves continue to thrive.”
For Shimek, convincing the state to scrap plans for wolf hunting and trapping is an uphill battle.
“I honestly believe that a thousand Indians could show up in St. Paul to testify against this wolf legislation and it would not matter one single bit in terms of the outcome,” Shimek said. “That’s just the nature of politics.”
In March, Shimek and others at White Earth began a series of public education “wolf talks” on the reservation, although opposition to a wolf hunting season has not seemed to slow the bills that are advancing through the Legislature.”

*Special thanks to “The Circle Native American News and Arts” for providing this information!

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