Wolf jargon

There are hidden meanings in the article “Wolf numbers: Still higher than recovery goals” in the April 17 issue of the Hungry Horse News.

The title intimates that the goal of the original plan of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other wolf biologists was to lower the wolf population down to a level below which they are more likely to go to extinction. This level approximately reached if the number of wolves are 300 with 30 breeding pairs in three areas. Is this really their goal?

Also you state in this article that wolves were “removed” by agency control and “harvested” by hunters. These words soften what is actually happening. What really happened in 2012 is different from “removing” furniture or “harvesting” apples.  

What really happened are many violent, bloody and painful events. The Fish and Wildlife Service and other people shot 801 wolves. Some were trapped before they were shot!      

Jivan Zeisse

West Glacier