Wildlife recovery means more than just survival of a species

From TheConversation.com:

For decades, wildlife conservation policy has aimed to protect endangered species until there are enough individual animals alive that the species won’t go extinct. Then the policymakers declare victory.

That principle is enshrined in laws such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act and Canada’s Species at Risk Act. It shapes how governments manage wildlife and their habitat, how politicians weigh trade-offs between species protection and human development goals, and how the public understands conservation.

But often, those minimalist population numbers – enough to avoid extinction – aren’t enough to restore ecosystems or cultural connections between people and those animals.

Click here for the full story.

‘Runaway Dinner’: Wolf Wades Into Yellowstone River After Floating Rack Of Ribs

From CowboyStateDaily:

Wolves are pursuit predators, meaning they hunt by running down their prey until they can subdue it, often as a pack. That usually means ambushing and chasing elk and bison until they can bite and bring them down.

The goal is to fully subdue and kill the animal before dining on it. They’ll also take any opportunity to not have to chase down their dinner, claiming carcasses and picking them clean, like a wildlife filmmaker recently documented over a six-week period near Togwotee Pass.

Click here for the full story.

Arizona Ranchers and Conservationists Collide over Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery at Capitol Hill

From Hoodline.com:

The contentious issue of Mexican Gray Wolves clashing with ranchers’ livelihoods is no longer confined to the rural expanses of Arizona. Now, it finds its stage in the corridors of power in Washington, D.C. as lawmakers grapple with the contrasting needs of endangered species conservation and agricultural business interests.

According to a recent report by FOX 10 Phoenix, the Mexican Gray Wolf, once on the brink of extinction, has seen a divisive introduction into protected territories, often resulting in livestock depredation and economic strain on ranchers in the Southwest.

Click here for the full story.

 

Wolves exploring deeper into the San Luis Valley, according to [Colorado] state

From CPR.org:

Some lone gray wolves are expanding their territory further south in the state, according to a new map of wolf activity from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The map, which tracks collared wolves from Sept. 23 through Oct. 21, shows watersheds where wolves have been detected. It shows wolf activity reaching farther into the San Luis Valley than ever, since the voter-approved reintroduction launched in 2023. Where previous months showed wolves visiting the western edges of the vast agricultural valley, October’s map tracked wolves as far east as Alamosa and Conejos counties and as far south as the New Mexico border.

Click here for the full story.

The Return of the Wolves [Dinaric Alps]

From ConnectingRegion.com:

As autumn colours deepen across the Dinaric Alps, a long-forgotten rhythm stirs again in the forests. A distant howl rolls through the valleys of Gorski Kotar, across the Slovenian Karst, into the pine-shadowed ranges of Montenegro. It is a sound that once vanished from much of the Adria region — and one that many believed would never return.

Click here for the full story.

Three wolf pups sought in California’s Sierra Valley after parents euthanized

From Union-Bulletin.com:

Three wolf pups from a pack whose adult members were euthanized by state conservation officials earlier this month had still not been captured despite weeks of searching by scientists and wildlife officers, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said.

The slow progress of the search prompted concerns from environmental groups about the animals’ survival when harsh winter conditions descend on the Sierra rangeland where they are believed to still be living.

Click here for the full story.

 

Wolf attacks a daily “calamity” in northeastern [Portugal] municipalities

From PortugalResident.com:

Livestock farmers in the Mirandês ‘planalto’ are in despair: they say daily attacks by wolves are decimating herds. If nothing is done to solve the problem, they warn they cannot continue raising animals – which will be a bitter blow to the region’s economy.

“We urge the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture to address this calamity, because it is becoming unbearable”, António Padrão, speaking for livestock producers of the northeastern municipalities of Miranda do Douro, Vimioso, and Mogadouro, told Lusa.

Click here for the full story.

Death Feeds Life: [Wyoming] Cameras Capture Wolves, Other Critters Picking Elk Carcass Clean

From CowboyStateDaily.com:

A wildlife filmmaker set up his cameras shortly after a bull elk died near Togwotee Pass. The video captured the different animals which moved in to feed on the carcass over a six week period and offers a rare view of how death feeds life in Wyoming.

Click here for the full story.

Federal official tells Colorado Parks and Wildlife to stop importing Canadian wolves. What happens now?

From AspenTimes.com:

Greg Lopez was pleased when he read the recent letter from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service directing Colorado Parks and Wildlife to stop importing wolves from Canada.

“When I read it,” said Lopez, who is a Republican gubernatorial candidate for Colorado, “it made sense to me.”

He added that this is what federal agencies are supposed to do: to monitor and ensure that any representative that is acting as an extension of the agency — in this case, Colorado Parks and Wildlife — is operating within its designated parameters.

Click here for the full story.

Wolves forced B.C. beachgoer into ocean, Parks Canada warning says

From CTVNews.ca:

Parks Canada says two recent wolf encounters on Vancouver Island, including one where a beachgoer was forced into the ocean by the animals, suggest wolves are becoming increasingly aggressive and habituated to human activity.

The agency on Tuesday issued a renewed warning to visitors at a national park reserve near Tofino, saying wolf interactions are on the rise in the Long Beach area of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

Click here for the full story.