18 wolves shot near Interior village to boost moose population (disgusting)
Alaska Dispatch
18 wolves shot near Interior village to boost moose population
Crews from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game shot 18 wolves from the air this week near Allakaket in the third year of a program to boost moose populations in the upper Koyukuk River drainage.
Wildlife | Dermot Cole
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http://www.adn.com/article/20150313/18-wolves-shot-near-interior-village-boost-moose-population
The wolf-control program is to continue as long as weather permits, said Cathie Harms, a spokeswoman for the department. The goal is to reduce the wolf population to as low as possible in an area of about 1,360 square miles near Allakaket and Alatna to allow more moose to be hunted by humans, according to a report by the Division of Wildlife Conservation.
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The wolf-control program, approved in 2011, came about because the moose harvest near the two villages had become increasingly difficult over the previous 15 years. Up to 60 wolves were believed to be within the area before the program began. In 2012, the Fish and Game killed 23 wolves.
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Bears are believed to be the main predators of calves, but wolves are believed to be the main predators of moose that are more than 1 year old, particularly yearling bulls.
The feasibility study said that because the area is about 10 percent of Unit 24B, the killing of the wolves is not expected to have a significant impact on the overall wolf population in the 13,500-square-mile unit. The report predicted that within 10 years, the moose population close to the villages would increase by 300 to 350 animals.
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I think Wilderness Conservation should change their name.
If subdistance hunting were the issue, maybe I could see some point to increasing number of herbivoires in an ecosystem. But the numbers they're talking about sound more like sport hunting (even if sportsmen do eat the moose).
= new reply since forum marked as read
Last edited Sat Mar 14, 2015, 04:20 PM - Edit history (1)
fuck!!!
http://www.allgov.com/news/top-stories/obama-administration-sides-with-hunters-over-protection-of-gray-wolves-150303?news=855838
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FWS filed court documents with a Washington, DC-based court of appeals saying it opposed a federal judge’s decision to restore legal protection for gray wolves in the western Great Lakes region.
The Obama administration is joined by two states, Michigan and Wisconsin, which also objected to U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell’s ruling in December that said the states’ management plans for the wolves don’t do enough to protect the species. Howell’s ruling also applied to the management plan developed by Minnesota. The plans in all three states allow sports hunting; in Michigan and Wisconsin they also permit the trapping of wolves.
FWS spokeswoman Laury Parramore told the Associated Press: “The science clearly shows that wolves are recovered in the Great Lakes region, and we believe the Great Lakes states have clearly demonstrated their ability to effectively manage their wolf populations.”
But Howell believes more needs to be done for the animals.
The judge wrote that the Endangered Species Act (pdf) “offers the broadest possible protections for endangered species by design. This law reflects the commitment by the United States to act as a responsible steward of the Earth's wildlife, even when such stewardship is inconvenient or difficult for the localities where an endangered or threatened species resides.”
...more...
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overview
petition
We, the undersigned, are concerned with your plans to appeal a federal decision to restore endangered species protections for Michigan's grey wolves.
As you may know, Michigan's wolf population grew from only six in 1970 to a little over 600. Research shows that wolves play a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystem. Natural predators like wolves help control moose and other herbivores that demolish wildlife habitats. Remains of wolves' prey provide food for scavengers and enrich the soil, which combats climate change.
Michigan cannot afford to lose their wolves again due to overzealous hunting and trapping. We respectfully urge you to reconsider your plans to fight endangered protections for grey wolves. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/653/775/667/michigan-dont-fight-endangered-protections-for-grey-wolves/?
