On Wolves and Men

It is finally starting to look like Spring here. The wild flowers are starting to pop up among the sage brush in the hills where I go out to run in the morning and occasionally I will see a herd of antelope out there. The cows have their calves in the pasture in front of my house and here and there you can see new born foals laying along side of their mamas. I had a young moose cow run down the road in front of my house a couple of days ago!

I read a report in the paper a bit ago about a young rancher that lives down south of Yellowstone Park and he said he had a pack of wolves come on to his ranch up by his house and into his corrals and started after his horses. He shot and killed two wolves to protect his horses and his family! legally, he has the right to do this but, he said he is getting it pretty hard from the pro wolf folks. According to the Idaho Fish and Game report for April 2008, the number of livestock kills aren't high but, they look like they are doubling every year and becoming a problem. Between the end of March and the end of April 2008, twenty wolves were killed either by ranchers for livestock(3),USDA Wildlife services for depredation of livestock(12), illegal kills(2) or vehicles(2). With that many wolves being killed due to depredation on private ranches I think it's starting to look a wee bit like Jurassic Park here!

I'm not an anti-wolf person, I had two wolf buddies for a long time until they died of old age and cancer. I think they are beautiful beings full of intelligence and wonder but, I know them well enough that I wouldn't want to come face to face with a wild pack out in the woods either!

I understand that the rangers up in Yellowstone are using rubber bullets to deter the wolves. Some of the wolves are losing their fear of humans and have been getting to close to them on the roads. If you ever visit Yellowstone remember to stay in your car when you are around dangerous animals and keep plenty of distance between you and the animals. One time I was up there and a man and his children were out of their car standing about ten feet away from a pair of grizzly cubs taking a picture and eating ice cream cones(I'm not joking!) The mother couldn't have been far away so, I started yelling at him to get his kids in the car and protect them! They didn't speak English so, they just looked at me like I was a crazy person. The ranger came by shortly after and put them back in their car.

I found a great map of Idaho that shows where the wolves are hanging their hats. I'm out closest to the copper basin pack. I have heard them early in the morning while walking out there but, haven't seen any yet. http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/wildlife/wolves/state/07_activity_map.pdf

A while back I wrote a post Called The lovers and Haters of Wolves. If you would like to read it you can at http://pennyrielly.blogspot.com/2008/04/Lover_and_haters_of_wolves.html/ The post was about a website called http://saveourelk.org/

This website is kind of an anti-wolf pro--maybe--pro elk hunter or elk lover site, I can't tell which. They do come out and say that the wolves are decimating the elk herds in Idaho and back up their reports with rather graphic photos. I believe that elk is the favorite diet of wolves so the site doesn't phase me too much.

I recently had a comment from Onward about that post that read;

"and, according to Joy Gold of the Smithsonian Institutes's Zoology Department there's not a significant difference between the wolves reintroduced into Idaho and the non-viable population and the remnant that was there."

I don't know about that. It seems to me that the population is increasing significantly and depredation of livestock is becoming a problem. I think to a pack of wolves--that slow moving animals in a corral or range is probably the equivalent of the drive thru at Mcydees!

I looked Ms. Gold up on the net and I think she must be an extraordinary person. She seems to have a strong interest in the same animals that I love especially whales and dolphins.

Also, my favorite skate shop Five-O is hosting a skateboard contest. It will be a giant game of Sk8 in their parking lot this Saturday on May 17 at 7pm-ish. If you like to skateboard and you are in the Idaho Falls,Idaho area, stop by it's always a fun time.

I always appreciate and welcome all comments. Check out the wolf map though, It's totally fascinating!