ODFW Extends Public Comment Period On State's Wolf Plan
Russ Morgan, ODFW wolf coordinator, with the female pup radio collared on Feb. 13, 2010. Photo from ODFW.
Conservation groups finally had enough with what must feel like a never ending hunt for two wolves in Wallowa County.
Today, they filed a lawsuit to block any further hunting, and to protect Oregon’s small population of wolves.
The hunt doesn’t really go on forever. The current expiration date is August 31. But the last time the hunting period was extended, it was extended for more than two months.
That decision is what appears to have led the conservation groups to take legal action.
What Happened Today?
Four groups, the Hells Canyon Preservation Council, Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands and the Center for Biological Diversity sued to stop federal agents from killing two members of the Imnaha wolf pack in Wallowa County. The agency carrying out the hunt is USDA’s Wildlife Service.
The lawsuit claims that Wildlife Services should have first conducted an environmental analysis to assess how much damage would be done by the hunt. There are two known packs in the state, with 14 wolves. There’s also a few more lone wolves roaming Oregon, so the total could be closer to 20. Killing two of them means reducing their numbers by ten percent – or more. If that kind of damage is considered “significant”, then the feds may be required to take the additional step of writing an Environmental Impact Statement.
Had Wildlife Services taken those steps, it would have significantly delayed the hunt, or possibly stopped it.
The Role Of ODFW
Wildlife Services is doing the hunting, but Oregon Fish and Wildlife is the one giving the orders. ODFW has legal authority over wolves in Eastern Oregon. It first authorized the hunt in late May, after a series of wolf attacks on livestock in Wallowa County. The state’s wolf management plan allows the killing of wolves involved in “chronic depredation” of livestock. Although the attacks stopped June 4, ODFW has extended the hunt three times since then.
“Oregon is big enough for people and wolves,” says Greg Dyson with the Hells Canyon Preservation Council. “ODFW is acting too hastily in giving Wildlife Services authority to shoot these wolves before exhausting other management options. We were left with no choice but to protect wolves in court.”
It raises the question why the groups didn’t sue ODFW instead. They say that’s still an option. Meanwhile ODFW says it won’t comment on lawsuits filed against “other agencies”.
More Time To Comment On The Wolf Plan
Oregon’s Wolf Management Plan is undergoing a five-year review. ODFW says it has extended the period for public comment. The original deadline, June 30th, expired yesterday. Now they say they’ll continue taking comments until October. Send them to ODFW.Comments@state.or.us.
Today we also learned that an update draft of the plan – with suggestions on changes – will be make public in August.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Natural Oregon. Natural Oregon said: Lawsuit Filed To Stop Oregon Wolf Hunt. http://bit.ly/dslDhH [...]
[...] field to stop oregon wolf hunt. Lawsuit Filed To Stop Oregon Wolf Hunt | Natural Oregon [...]
Let the Fed’s do their job and shoot the two problem wolves. If they are stopped the public will just take action on their own and start killing all wolves just not the problem wolves. There are too many people and not enough free land for their to be high population of wolves. Wolves are in people’s backyards. There are still a lot of wolves in Canada and Alaska, go there if you want to play the wolves. Don’t let your greed ruin other people’s livelyhoods.
[...] Natural Oregon: http://www.naturaloregon.org/2010/07/01/lawsuit-filed-to-stop-oregon-wolf-hunt/ Longer AP story as printed in the Seattle PI: [...]
Idahoan,
Research has shown that predator control is not only ineffective, it also can increase depredation. Diligently employed non-lethal techniques are the way to go and should be mandatory. Ranchers should have to offer the animals under their care some manner of preventative protection.
“The public” has been threatening to poach wolves since wolves returned to their ancestral lands. Irrational criminals are much less of a threat than government sanctioned slaughter. Poachers can also be prosecuted.
There is plenty enough land yet in Oregon for people and wolves. The stronger we move to protect the fragments that are left, the longer it will be this way. Romania is a good example of a place where large apex predators coexist in numbers with people:
Romania’s total landmass is: 92,043 sq mi. Oregon’s total landmass: 98,466 sq mi. Romania’s human population: 22,215,421 (2009 estimate). Oregon’s human population: 3,825,657 (2009 estimate). Last wolf population count I could find for Romania was about 3,700 individuals. They also have between 4,000-6,000 brown bears. The largest population in Europe.
There is a lot of raped land toward the east and across the globe, go there where it has already been ravaged if you want to play with livestock. You speak of greed when there are only 14 wolves in all of Oregon!? Shameful. Wolves account for less than 1% of all livestock losses.
For some perspective. From the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), released May 5, 2006. A year of cattle loss in Oregon:
Digestive problems: Cattle – 1,600. Calves – 9,700.
Respiratory problems: Cattle – 7,500. Calves – 12,600.
Metabolic problems: Cattle – 1,700. Calves – 300.
Mastitis: Cattle – 1,700.
Other diseases: Cattle – 1,600. Calves – 800.
Lameness/injury: Cattle – 1,600. Calves – 1,200.
Weather related: Cattle – 200. Calves – 1,400.
Calving problems: Cattle – 1,400. Calves – 6,900.
Poisoning: Cattle – 400. Calves – 600.
Theft: Calves – 100.
Other non-predator: Cattle – 2,200. Calves – 800.
Unknown non-predator: Cattle – 2,700. Calves – 3,500.
Idahoan
Why am I not surprised that you favor wolf killing. Poachers are scumbags.
First off, you need to distinguish the difference between hunting and poaching you moron. You want to talk about humane practices. What about the millions of animals euthanized, and just dumped by PETA. It’s public record.
[...] Oregon has two confirmed wolf packs, the Imnaha and Wenaha packs. The Imnaha pack has been in the news because Wildlife Services was hunting two gray uncollared wolves from the pack. They say the wolves were involved in livestock depredations back in late Spring 2010. Several conservation groups filed a lawsuit to stop the hunts. From NaturalOregon.org [...]
I live in Oregon and I have never seen a wild wolf. That is sad, only 14 left. I wonder just how miserable you must be,(Idahoan), to wake up with your coffee on your computer table and post such a moronic statement.