If the Fish and Wildlife Service does undertake a rigorous, scientific process to peer review this, they will have no choice but to reject this proposal from the state of Idaho. The conclusions were reached prior to the state obtaining the data and the data does not scientifically substantiate the conclusions. |
It's almost impossible to discuss it rationally. It doesn't have anything to do with logic or reason, it's so steeped in myth. And this mythical wolf really doesn't exist. |
The provisions allow 11 different tasks that Idaho Fish and Game and the state will be responsible for, eight of those 11 involve killing wolves. |
The scientific community at large is very critical of the state's proposal because it is clearly the loss of habitat, not predators, that is responsible for the decline in the elk population in the Lolo area. There was so much opposition to this plan and this decision reveals that the true intention of the state is not to manage wolves, but to eradicate them by any means possible. |
The scientific community at large is very critical of the state's proposal because it is clearly the loss of habitat, not predators, that is responsible for the decline in the elk population in the Lolo area. This decision reveals that the true intention of the state is not to manage wolves, but to eradicate them by any means possible. |
This meant an increase in some of the administrative challenges of the program. For example, we received a number of compensation requests that lacked pertinent information to process the claims, which can take considerable time to obtain. Some field investigation reports did not provide enough information to meet the minimum criteria for confirmed or probable claims, and some claims were rejected. |
We would be very concerned if this action led to increased lethal control of wolves within the wilderness, based on the elk populations there. |
We're going to be looking very strongly at (Fish and Game's) numbers. Bear and mountain lions are dying, and now they want to kill wolves too, in an area where we know the primary cause of low elk populations is poor habitat. |