Wolf killing contest, bounty not backed by science or ethics: Canmore conservationist

From St. Albert Gazette:

BOW VALLEY – A controversial wolf killing bounty and contest in Alberta is generating howls of protest from conservationists.

The Alberta Trappers Association, in partnership with Alberta Professional Outfitters Society, is offering rewards of $5,000 for the top wolf killed, $3,500 for second prize and $2,000 for third prize, along with a bounty of $250 per wolf.

Canmore conservationist and wildlife photographer John Marriott has launched a campaign against this contest, which began on Oct. 1 and runs until March 31, 2025, and places no limits on how many wolves are killed across the province.

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Balancing the gray wolf population in Wisconsin

From HudsonStarObserver.com:

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board approved and released the current wolf management plan on Oct. 25, 2023. The drafting process included input from representatives — totaling over 20 different stakeholder groups, agencies and tribes.

However, estimating an accurate population, determining a quota if a harvest is instituted and dispelling entrenched beliefs about wolves remain issues at the center of the debate.

For more than three decades, the DNR relied on a method based on territory mapping to estimate the state’s wolf population.

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Ag, livestock groups ask British Columbia wildlife officials to reconsider

From The Fence Post:

Twenty-six Colorado agriculture and livestock organizations have sent a letter to British Columbia wildlife officials asking them to reconsider a decision to allow the export of wolves to Colorado.

Tim Ritschard, president of the Middle Park Stockgrowers, said other states and Native American Tribes within the United States have declined to allow Colorado to take wolves from their jurisdictions, and British Columbia should as well.

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Genetic testing confirms Anchorage’s roaming canine ‘Gary’ was a wolf hybrid

From Anchorage Daily News:

Genetic testing confirms that a roaming canine that briefly captivated Anchorage this fall was a wolf hybrid, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said Tuesday. In October, the animal — a grayish black, wolflike creature — gained fame for its wide-ranging travels around Anchorage. A Facebook group dubbed the canine “Gary,” and members posted sightings. The animal popped up at all hours of the day, loping through busy traffic and trotting along quiet trails — extremely unusual behavior for a wolf.

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Conservationists call for action on Oregon wolf poaching

From Central Oregon Daily News:

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Wildlife advocates say there’s been a distressing uptick in wolf poaching cases in the Northwest in the past year and a half.

Four dead wolves were discovered in the northeastern corner of Washington state in February. That followed the poisoning of eight wolves in eastern Oregon in 2021, along with the poaching of a total of eight wolves in Idaho last year.

While the numbers are small, they are a big jump over previous years. Oregon had a total of 10 confirmed wolf poachings between 2017-2020. Washington had no confirmed wolf poachings from 2017-2021.

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McIntyre’s passion for wolves and Yellowstone shines through in new book

From Daily Montanan:

Rick McIntyre’s “The Alpha Female Wolf” is not only a vibrant look into the lives of wolves, particularly 06 the “protagonist” of the book, it is also a collage of Yellowstone National Park.

What begins as overwhelming quickly evolves into a complex web of relationships, grudges and family trees that morph and evolve. The inner workings of wolves are unraveled before your eyes as they become more than animals. They become mothers, brothers, teachers and providers. With stunning construction, Rick transforms his notes from years of fieldwork into a narrative fit for the stage. We follow the Wolf 06 and her journey to continuing the legacy that her ancestors left her — from Lone Wolf to matriarch of one the most important wolf packs of Yellowstone.

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CPW shares monthly wolf movement as 26 organizations petition for no more releases

From KVDR.com:

DENVER (KDVR) — It’s almost been a full year since Colorado Parks and Wildlife released the first group of 10 gray wolves into the state, in a program mandated by voters in 2020, and stakeholders are still fighting to ensure a second release is stopped, or at least delayed.

In December 2023, CPW released 10 gray wolves that were sourced from Oregon into the Rocky Mountains of Grand County. The first gray wolf to move south of Interstate 70 was announced in early November, and wildlife officials have been speaking to the county commissioners in Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin County to find a suitable release site for the next group of wolves.

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101 guard dogs: enhancing human-wolf coexistence in northern Portugal

From Rewilding Europe:

A livestock guard dog programme overseen by Rewilding Portugal has just reached its impressive target, with the 101st dog handed over to a local farmer. By reducing livestock predation, the programme will support the recovery of the endangered and ecologically important Iberian wolf.

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How the North Carolina Zoo helped save American red wolves from extinction

From Q City Metro:

Once upon a time, the American red wolf was an apex predator in North America. But then, in the 1970s, hunting and habitat destruction pushed the species toward extinction. The loss had devastating on the region’s ecosystem — deer populations exploded and non-native coyotes moved in.

Today, there are signs of hope for the American red wolf, thanks to conservation efforts by the North Carolina Zoo and other agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which initiated a breeding program for the endangered animals.

 

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EU accused of ‘painting wolves as villains’ in push to allow culls

From The Times:

The European Union is “painting the wolf as a villain”, conservationists have claimed before an international meeting to review the protected status of the predator.

Across Europe an estimated 21,000 wolves are running in packs that kill 40,000 head of livestock — sheep, goats and cattle — every year.

Meanwhile, farmers are unable to take action against the predator because the wolf is a protected species, a situation that has angered many rural communities.

 

Click here for the full story: https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/eu-accused-of-painting-wolves-as-villains-in-push-to-allow-culls-9ftgdw0zt