Lori Udall: Gray wolf delisting not sound science!

Udall: Gray wolf delisting not sound science! 
Posted Mar 12, 2014, 2:46 pm

By: Lori Udall | A Special to TucsonSentinel.com

Forty-six years ago, my father Stewart Udall — as Secretary of Interior —issued the first endangered species list under the Endangered Species Preservation Act. His list included such great American icons as the timber wolf, red wolf, bald eagle, grizzly bear, American alligator, and the peregrine falcon. Also listed as endangered in 1967 was the gray wolf.

Six years later, in December of 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act with overwhelming, bipartisan support. President Richard Nixon promptly signed this landmark wildlife conservation bill into law. In those years, decisions about endangered species listings were
founded in science and fact, which is where they should be decided.

2013 marked the fortieth anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. As the years have passed, evidence is overwhelming that the law is highly effective and has saved hundreds of species from extinction. The bald eagle has been restored to most of its original habitat; the peregrine falcon has soared back to recovery and both were taken off the list. The grizzly bear, listed in 1975 as threatened is recovering well in some areas in the west. The American alligator was delisted due to recovery
in 1999.


However, the gray wolf is an example of a species that is coming back but has not yet made it back, and yet now is caught in political limbo.

In 2011, Sen. John Tester of Montana (D-Mon) and Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), under pressure from constituents, introduced a rider to a spending bill that delisted the gray wolf in Montana and Idaho, while the agency charged with protecting the wolf under the Endangered Species Act — Department of Interior — turned a blind eye.


This was the first time in the history of the Endangered Species Act that a single species was delisted through legislation instead of through the scientific study around the species recovery.


That a single species can be delisted through legislation in Congress instead of scientific study of its recovery sets a dangerous precedent for the future of all protected species. Already, other members of
Congress are following suit and have introduced amendments to defund recovery for the Utah prairie dog, the greater and Gunnison sage grouse, preventing a listing of prairie chickens, as well as other amendments to weaken the Endangered Species Act.


To add insult to injury, under Secretary Sally Jewell's direction, the Department of Interior is now proposing to delist the gray wolf in the lower 48 states (except the Mexican wolf). Americans have until March 27 to submit their comments.
The proposed rule has been challenged by an independent scientific peer review study released on Feb. 7 and done at the request of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The peer review scientists convened by the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis disagree with the proposed rule regarding the status of the wolf under the Endangered Species Act.


There is unanimity among the panelists that the proposed rule does not represent the best available science and that the rule is based narrowly on one study that has problematic assertions and conclusions and was not analyzed critically. Moreover, the scientists suggest that the Fish and Wildlife Service was wrong to base its ruling on FWS scientists rather than a broader selection of scientific viewpoints.


Given the positive impact that wolves have on whole ecosystems, Jewell is faced with perhaps one of the most important conservation decisions of her tenure.


It is her turn to make the big decisions for wildlife and wild lands.


My father used to say if you developed a policy the wrong way you would have a big fight on your hands. Well, The Department of Interior certainly has picked a fight! Over a million Americans, and counting, have commented on the wolf delisting and the majority are against it; now top scientists concur. It's time for Secretary Jewell to follow the science, rethink her strategy and finish the work my father and his successors started.

Lori Udall is a program director for the Sacharuna Foundation, which focuses on land and wildlife conservation and indigenous rights. Her father, Stewart Udall, was secretary of the Interior for Presidents Kennedy and Johnson

Courtesy of:  http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/031214_wolf_udall_op/udall-gray-wolf-delisting-not-sound-science/

Help keep wolves out of harms way, Or, Beware of Governor Otter!

Today, the Defenders of Wildlife, filed suit in federal court to challenge the terrible rule that removes vital protections for wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies.

We (We meaning me and Defenders of Wildlife) have a tough legal fight ahead, but our work to save the lives of wolves doesn’t start -- or stop -- at the courthouse doors.

America's wolves were nearly eradicated in the 20th century. Now, after a remarkable recovery in parts of the country, wolves are once more in grave peril.

In Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies-
On March 6th, 2009, U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar approved the Bush Administration's discredited plan to eliminate Endangered Species Act protections for wolves in Idaho and Montana -- a decision that could lead to the deaths of more than 1,000 wolves! Take action now to save wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies...

In Alaska-
More than 900 wolves in Alaska have been killed by aerial gunning since 2003, and Governor Palin is pushing to kill even more wolves this year using aerial gunning, poison gas and snares.

In the Southwest-
Misinformation and anti-wolf sentiment runs high, with the few remaining wolves in Arizona and New Mexico at risk of extinction. With only two breeding pairs of Mexican wolves left in the wild, we need sensible, science-based wolf management to ensure the “lobo” will survive -- and thrive -- in the wilds of the Southwest.

While extremists in the region like Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter and the Idaho Anti-Wolf Coalition’s Ron Gillette would rather see wolves dead, Defenders of Wildlife is working on the ground in the region to keep wolves alive.

For more than 10 years, Defenders has been the primary conservation organization working with ranchers on the ground to keep wolves away from livestock -- and out of harm’s way.

Wolf depredations are rare, accounting for less than 1% of livestock losses each year. But when livestock is lost, it could mean certain death for a wolf -- or even an entire pack.

With the fate of our wolves in the hands of state officials like Idaho Governor "Butch" Otter, our wolf-saving programs on the ground are especially critical to save their lives right now.

Defenders, in cooperation with ranchers, biologists and federal land managers, has developed several effective, non-lethal strategies to prevent needless wolf deaths.

Turbo fladry -- a simple red flag system of fencing -- keeps wolves out of sheep pastures. Range riders -- modern day cowboys -- ride along with herds, keeping them safe. Guard dogs stay with livestock and keep wolves away. These and other techniques paid for by Defenders are working today to prevent livestock losses and keep wolves alive.

Defenders of Wildlife is working on-the-ground with ranchers, biologists and federal land managers to save the lives of wolves. These non-lethal methods are keeping wolves away from livestock -- and out of harm's way. To support these and other efforts, please visit www.savewolves.org

And let's not forget Wyoming just filed suit because they feel that wolves in Wyoming should be taken off the endangered species list in Wyoming because they feel their plan, for all of Wyoming's 300+ wolves will work. But their plan is based on myths and ignorant propaganda. In Wyoming, where percentage wise, ranchers are over represented on the state level. Less then 5% of Wyoming's GDP is from agri-biz, which includes ranching, and tourism is only second to energy as far as our GDP is concerned. And tourists want to see ? Yes, the answer is wolves. But these fools, like Governor Freundenthal(D) want to list wolves as predators so they can be slaughter in 95% of the state. What is wrong with this wolf management plan? The foxes are in the hen house!