Plan to delist wolves across U.S.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to delist wolves across the Lower 48. The announcement last week brought support from some groups, but others claim mortality in the existing population is too high.

Gray wolves are already delisted from the Endangered Species List in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, but populations are still expanding in Washington, Utah and Oregon as the migrant creatures move west.

The American Society of Mammologists on May 22 wrote a letter with concerns, saying delisting wolves across the U.S. was premature.

“We look forward to the day when the scientific evidence clearly points to the conclusion that federal protection of the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act is no longer needed to ensure full recovery of this important apex predator,” ASM wrote. “However, we believe it is premature to declare that that day has arrived.”

ASM in particular expressed concern about human-caused mortality in states like Montana where hunting is allowed and will likely be expanded in the coming year.

They claim that according to FWS figures, “34 percent of the absolute minimum Northern Rockies estimated wolf population was removed due to human-causes in 2012.” That’s not sustainable and is “unprecedented in the history of the ESA,” they claim.

“If this level of mortality continues or even increases, particularly as states consider increasing quotas and season lengths, recent simulation modeling casts serious doubt on the long-term viability of the population,” ASM wrote.

But the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation supports the plan.

“We applaud this decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “The wolf recovery plan was highly successful and the science behind it remains very strong and credible.”

The wolf population in the Lower 48 is estimated at 6,000. FWS officials say wolf populations are still higher than recovery goals. The only exception of the Lower 48 delisting is a small population of the Mexican gray wolf subspecies in Arizona and New Mexico.

At the end of 2012, there were at least 321 confirmed packs and 1,674 wolves within the Northern Rocky Mountain area, which includes Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon and Washington. The 2011 report showed at least 287 confirmed packs and 1,796 wolves within the same area.

“In no way is regulated hunting and trapping decimating the species as some environmental groups claim. There is no science to support that. Hunting and trapping are viable management tools,” said Allen.

During 2012, in Montana 108 wolves were removed by agency control and 175 wolves were harvested by hunting; in Idaho, 73 wolves were removed by agency control and 329 were harvested; and in Wyoming, 43 wolves were removed by agency control and 66 were harvested.

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission is considering loosening wolf hunting regulations for the 2013-2014 hunting season. Under a proposal, the general rifle season would be expanded to Sept. 15 through March 31. The archery season would run from Sept. 7 to Sept. 14.

The combined bag limit for hunting or trapping would increase from one wolf to five. The trapping season would remain the same, but trappers would be allowed to set traps over exposed bait.