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51,200 Dead Oregon Cows Not Killed By Wolves! Where’s The Media?
September 28, 2011
Ok, 51,200 cows died in Oregon in 2010 from non-predation causes. (NASS 2010) This should be front page news, right? When wolves are involved in miniscule livestock losses they make the front pages of local media. So what about those 51,200 cows that weren’t killed by wolves?
Talk about making a mountain out of a mole-hill or big fish stories, this is the mother of all big fish stories.
ODFW is planning on killing the alpha male (pictured above) and another wolf from the Imnaha Pack, for livestock losses so small, they barely register statistically. Yet incredibly large numbers of cows drop dead in Oregon every year and all we hear are “crickets”.
So here we are, two wolves facing a death sentence. Apparently they are being tracked right now.
The alpha female and her pup of the year will be left to face the winter alone, with no help to bring down prey.
Here is B-300 better known as “Sophie”, crossing into Oregon in 2008. She would later become the alpha female of the Imnaha Pack. Look at her scampering along, beautiful and healthy. Little did she know what she was getting into.
In protest of ODFW’s egregious intention to slaughter two perfectly healthy Imnaha wolves, leaving just the alpha female and her pup of the year, two Portland Animal Defense League protesters, Stephanie Taylor and Justin Kay, chained themselves to the ODFW headquarter doors with bike locks.
Two arrested during protest against wolf killings
Posted: Sep 27, 2011 6:31 PM MDTUpdated: Sep 27, 2011 7:31 PM MDT
By Brian MacMillan
SALEM, OR (KPTV) –
For nearly an hour and a half Tuesday morning, protestors took over the front entrance of the Department of Fish and Wildlife in Salem.
“We’ve tried everything from phone calls to the governor, phone calls here, letter writing, protests. Finally today, it ended with an act of civil disobedience,” said Tim Hitchins, with the Portland Animal Defense League.
Read More: http://www.kptv.com/story/15563955/two-arrested-during-wolf-killing-protest
The sad news is this is probably the end of the Imnaha Pack.
Oregon had 1,300,000 cattle at the beginning of 2011. Wolves apparently were responsible for 14 cow losses in 1.5 years. But thousands and thousands of cows were keeling over in Oregon from all manner of things, not wolf related.
Digestive problems
Respiratory problems
Metabolic problems
Mastitis
Lameness/injury
Other diseases
Weather related
Calving problems
Poisoning
Theft
(NASS 2010)
Why aren’t ranchers squawking about this? Those losses COULD affect their “bottom line”, not 14 supposed wolf depredations.
Isn’t it time to call this situation what it is. If if looks like a duck, quacks like a duck then it’s a duck. Plain and simple intolerance of wolves is ruling the day in eastern Oregon. Clearly ranchers don’t want them there and that’s what’s driving this train. The wishes of Oregon’s wildlife advocates and others, who would enjoy seeing wild wolves, apparently don’t count. The scapegoating and hysteria that plague the other wolf states has apparently taken hold in Oregon. Shame. This has completely altered my view of the state.
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Wolf kill order could spell end of Oregon pack
http://m.spokesman.com/stories/2011/sep/27/wolf-kill-order-could-spell-end-of-oregon-pack/
Please continue to call Oregon’s Governor Kitzhaber (503-378-4582) to protest the kill order on the two Imnaha wolves. Ask why wolves are being treated like criminals, collared, tracked continually, when obviously these losses are ridiculously miniscule.
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Videos: Courtesy YouTube
Photo: Courtesy ODFW
Posted in: Wolf Wars, Oregon wolves, Howling For Justice
Tags: wolf scapegoating, Imnaha pack, kill order, Oregon wolves, ODFW, NASS
Idaho Wolf Trapping Season Starts November 15…..
warning graphic videos
I cannot express to you in words how I feel about trapping wolves. This is the very torture that was responsible for wolves’ Western extermination. My heart breaks daily when I check the number of wolves slaughtered in the Idaho and Montana hunts. The Montana wolf archery season is particularly horrific to me BUT nothing is going to decimate wolves like trapping.
The blame for this tragedy lays solely at the feet of those 81 Senators who voted to delist wolves via budget rider and the President, who signed the bill into law, with the wolf rider intact.
“Animals caught in leg-hold traps will endure a slow and excruciating death. Some chew off their own leg in an attempt to escape. Others may freeze or bleed to death before the trapper returns. Those who don’t will be strangled, stomped or bludgeoned. The traps used kill not only their intended victims, but also injure or kill endangered species and domestic companion animals.”
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Videos: Courtesy YouTube
Posted in: Animal Cruelty, Wolf Wars, Idaho wolves
Tags: cruel trapping, animal suffering, ban trapping, animal cruelty
Alert: Howl Across America, Friends of Animals and Predator Defense, Plan Rally For Wolves In Helena…
Howl Across America, Friends of Animals and Predator Defense are holding a rally and press conference in Helena, Montana on October 14, 2011 to protest the brutal wolf hunts.
From Friends of Animals Website:
The Howl-In and Press Conference will take place on Friday, October 14, 2011 at the Montana State Capital Building in Helena from 12:00 pm-2:00pm. We’re asking everyone who cares about wolves and wolf recovery to attend.
“We’re demanding an immediate end to state-sponsored wolf slaughter and, until it ends, we’ve called for a complete boycott of the states of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming,” says Friends of Animals’ president Priscilla Feral.
Montana’s Senator John Tester is responsible for attaching a de-listing rider to the budget bill, which changed the wolves’ protected status –and avoided public and scientific scrutiny—even though it’s estimated that nearly 1500 wolves remain in the Northern Rockies.
In response, Friends of Animals quickly called on members and supporters across the country and around the globe to boycott Idaho, Wyoming and Montana—including Yellowstone National Park, which exists in all three states—as long as these states continue persecuting wolves.
High-profile Howl-Ins organized by Friends of Animals were held in Washington, DC and New York City, gaining national press attention from media outlets such as CNN, Huffington Post, as well as state, local and regional print publications.
Wolf biologist Jay S. Mallonee recently published a peer-reviewed scientific paper, Hunting Wolves In Montana – Where Are the Data? in the journal Nature and Science—concluding that Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks does not know how many wolves exist in the state and disregards their role in the ecosystem altogether.
Priscilla Feral says, “We won’t stop until gray wolves are given federal protection. It shouldn’t take a slaughter to make that happen.”
Your attendance is very important. Please bring colorful posters, spirited banners, placards and noisemakers to the rally. We’re targeting Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Senator John Tester and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar—all of whom contributed to the persecution of gray wolves in Montana and beyond. Posters should emphasize the economic boycott of WY, ID and MT. Because the media will attend, it’s important to present creative posters that are large and legible.
What: Howl-In and Press Conference
When: Friday, October 14th, 2001, 12pm-2pm
Where: Montana State Capital Building
1301 EAST 6TH AVENUE
Helena, Montana 59620-0801
If you plan to attend this important rally, or have questions, please contact:
Edita Birnkrant
E-mail: Edita@FriendsofAnimals.org
Phone: (212) 247-8120
Or
Dustin Rhodes
Email: Dustin@FriendsofAnimals.org
Phone: (202) 986-1693
We are earnestly asking that all organizations support the rally and do everything possible to get people there.
THE SOLE OBJECTIVE OF THE RALLY IS TO SUPPORT WOLVES BY:
1. SENDING A MESSAGE TO POLITICIANS THAT LOTS OF PEOPLE AND VOTERS SUPPORT WOLVES, AND
2. INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS TO CREATE CRITICAL MASS TO MAKE A CHANGE FOR WOLVES
Your organization does not have to support the boycott, we just need you to show support for wolves.
PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BE THERE FOR THE WOLVES.
Lets show unity and stand together during this dark period.
Thank you for your attention and consideration.
Brooks Fahy
Executive Director
PREDATOR DEFENSE
PO Box 5446
Eugene, OR
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The Wolf That Changed America, The Story of Lobo & Blanca..
Lobo and Blanca of the Currumpaw Pack (Published 1889)
“Ever since Lobo”, Seton later wrote, “my sincerest wish has been to impress upon people that each of our native wild creatures is in itself a precious heritage that we have no right to destroy or put beyond the reach of our children.”
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LOBO KING OF THE CURRUMPAW
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobo_the_King_of_Currumpaw
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Video: Courtesy Nature Channel
Posted in: Gray Wolf, Wolf Wars
Tags: Ernest Thompson Seton, Lobo, Blanca, iconic wolves, wolf trapper, Seton’s epiphany, Currumpaw, New Mexico
Political Wolf Hunts….
21 Idaho wolves and 7 Montana wolves have been killed in the hunts, that number is going to climb very quickly once the cold weather arrives and forest cover is gone. Trapping in Idaho will lay wolves low. You will see the numbers of dead wolves skyrocket into the hundreds and all this is completely unnecessary.
There is no reason to hunt wolves, it’s a political witch hunt. The livestock industries’ hysteria concerning wolves is pure theater. Here are the cattle loss figures for 2010:
Cattle Losses 2010
Non-predation (NASS)
Idaho 86, 900
Montana 74,800
Wyoming 37,100
Total Non-Predation: 198,800 cows
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Wolf Predation (USFWS)
Idaho 75
Montana 87
Wyoming 26
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Total wolf predation: 188 cows
AND
Even though the hunts are in full swing, Wildlife Services is still killing wolves, paid for by the American people. Remember the recent aerial gunning of 3 wolves on the Peavey Flat Top Ranch in Idaho?
The livestock wolf paradigm is a fairy tale, told to justify the quest for a predator free landscape. Yet almost every media report concerning wolves concentrates on ranchers and cattle losses.
Coyotes are the number one predator of cattle, namely calves but even the little “song dog” does very little damage. Please stop listening to this drivel and arm yourself with facts. This wolf hunt is Salem, Massachusetts all over again.
Myth drives these political hunts. One of the most repeated is, “wolves are decimating game herds” , another over the top accusation. Did you know there are almost 400,000 elk in the three wolf states?
Montana 150,000 elk
Idaho 103,000 elk
(up from 101,000 in 2010)
Wyoming 120,000 elk.
That is a huge number of elk. The fish and game agencies are turning our forests into giant game farms. Are wildlife advocates expected to sit idly by while predators are decimated to placate hunters and ranchers?
On the PBS special, “Cowboys vs. Gray Wolves: Predator Once Again Prey”, wolf biologist, Doug Smith, gave this statement:
He was asked by the interviewer: Is it healthy enough to allow a certain amount of (wolf) hunting?
Doug Smith: The short answer is yes. Wolves are tough to live with. they need tolerance from humans. Wolves aren’t going to get that unless problems can be solved. It appears, there’s not really hard studies on this, that social tolerance increases with wolf hunting.
Interviewer: You heard right. Doug Smith, the wolfman of Yellowstone. is OK with wolf hunting. within limits.”
So if there are no hard studies on the hypothesis that social tolerance of wolves increases with wolf hunting, why make that statement? In fact there is plenty of evidence that supports the opposite view. No matter how many wolves are killed it will never be enough for some. It’s convenient to have a voiceless, scapegoat to blame for an unhappy life.
All one has to do is visit FB and read the vitriol, view the tortured bodies of dead wolves, to know hunting wolves will never placate these people. They hate without reason. It’s a repeat of the same attitudes that were present 100 years ago. It’s the very reason wolves need the protection of the ESA.
Pick up a newspaper and read the endless whining from ranchers about wolves. They are asking us to believe that losing 75 cows to wolves, compared to 80,000 from non-predation, is a wolf crisis? Totally ridiculous. Is this tolerance?
In sixteen years, ranchers have not developed a “social tolerance” for wolves that I can observe. There may be ranchers who don’t hold anti-wolf views but their voices are few and far between.
Hunters had their chance to hunt wolves in 2009 and the ugly rhetoric and demonizing of wolves has only increased in my opinion. Idaho has a no quota hunt in most of the state, targeting 850 wolves. Wyoming is planning a shoot-on-sight-plan, that would allow hunters or anyone to literally kill a wolf anytime, day or night, in any way possible. No limits. Wolves are facing a blood bath of epic proportions in Idaho. When the state takes their wolf population down to 150 animals will there then be tolerance? Do the majority of wolves have to die in the Northern Rockies before they are “accepted”?
This is the sad state of wolf politics.
Please visit Howl Across America. Channel your disillusionment and disgust by organizing a protest or join an existing one. Think outside the box. You could plan a “run for wolves” if you’re a runner, a “bike for wolves” if you bike, a “motorcycle ride for wolves” if you’re a biker. Wolf advocate, Ann S., suggested a “dog walk for wolves”. Whatever fits your comfort zone. The point is DO SOMETHING!! Think what a force we could be.
HOWL ACROSS AMERICA
http://facebook.com/howlacrossamerica
For evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing.
Simon Wiesenthal
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Top Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Bottom Photo: Courtesy Howl Across America
Posted in: Wolf Wars
Tags: Idaho wolf hunt, Montana wolf hunt, wolf slaughter, wolf intolerance, wolf persecution
Howl Across America, Bozeman Rally A Success!!
The Howl Across America rally held in Bozeman on Sunday, organized by Jenny Hane, was a success. It garnered a lot of media attention and brought much-needed focus to the brutal, ongoing wolf hunts in Montana and Idaho.
Here’s Jenny’s summary of Sunday’s events.
“Hi folks, so I’m sure you all want to know how the rally went.
Even though the event was fairly small, it created something of a media storm. I got interviewed by three different reporters, and I will probably end up on TV (and someone from the other side probably will too). There was also a photographer — I think he said he was with the New York Times (no, seriously, I can hardly believe it but that’s what I think he said!) who followed us all the way to the courthouse and took a ton of pictures. The counter-protest didn’t follow us when we marched; we left them behind in the park, and they were all gone by the time we got back. So while they had greater numbers, I suspect that we ended up being more visible. Some of them came over and argued with us when we were in the park, but nobody got nasty. We had a couple of people (not associated with the counter-protest, just random Bozemanites) yell and swear at us in passing while we were marching, but no worse issues than that. I congratulate all my attendees on their good behavior. When we got back Billy set his equipment up in the band shell and gave us a nice little concert, and since we basically had the park to ourselves we got some time to relax. Two of our attendees came all the way from Utah to be there, which was pretty cool. (They want a healthy wolf population in the NRM so that wolves can disperse into Utah — once they get their own politicians to allow wolves in the state, that is.) And, um, those are the highlights, I guess. For every person who “booed” us when we were marching, it seemed like there was another one who honked and waved or said a friendly word when we passed them on the sidewalk. I suppose only time will tell the effects of this. And now, I’m going to spend the next week sleeping and catching up on other work and sleeping some more. Thank you for all your support and encouragement.”
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Howl Across America is planning more rallies in the upcoming months to protest the slaughter of wolves in Montana and Idaho. We cannot forget Wyoming is pushing forward with their plan to have unregulated killing of wolves in most of the state, which could happen as soon as next year. Wolves in Wyoming would then be at the mercy of a horrific plan to shoot-them-on-site, or they could be run over by a snowmobile. Yes it’s that bad.
I want to thank Jenny for her hard work and dedication to wolves. She did a wonderful job planning and organizing the Bozeman rally!!
For the wolves,
Nabeki
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Dueling wolf rallies held in Bozeman
Posted: Sep 18, 2011 8:58 PM by Dennis Carlson (KBZK Bozeman)
Updated: Sep 19, 2011 6:48 AM
http://www.kpax.com/news/dueling-wolf-rallies-held-in-bozeman/
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Strong opinions shared at opposing wolf rallies
Posted: Monday, September 19, 2011 12:15 am
JOLENE KELLER, Chronicle Staff Writer
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/city/article_11289946-e26d-11e0-bba0-001cc4c002e0.html
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Photo: Courtesy Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Posted in: Wolf Wars, Howl Across America
Tags: Howl Across America Rally, Bozeman, Mt., Jennifer Hane, wolf advocate, protest brutal wolf hunts
Sacred Spirit…
A-La-Ke || Wolf
LOOKING FOR NORTH
DELA DELA
Native American Chant
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Videos Courtesy YouTube
Posted in: Spiritual, gray wolf
Tags: Sacred Spirit, gray wolf, Native American
Wolves, political stupidity, and fear-mongering…by Mark Bekoff
Wolves, political stupidity, and fear-mongering: Wolves are a clear and present danger
Ignorant politicians ignore science and allow the continued slaughter of wolves
Published on April 21, 2011 by Marc Bekoff in Animal Emotions
Once again wolves are the target of irrational political and media sensationalism. To quote from this recent article: “Despite enactment of federal legislation turning wolf control over to state wildlife management and allowing licensed hunting of the animals, [Idaho Governor Butch] Otter welcomed his new authority to bring law enforcement to bear against any wolf threats to humans or livestock.
The gray wolf of the Northern Rockies is about to become the first creature ever taken off the U.S. endangered species list by act of Congress, rather than by scientific review, under a measure inserted into a sweeping budget bill.”
To quote from this bill: “The uncontrolled proliferation of imported wolves on private land has produced a clear and present danger to humans, their pets and livestock, and has altered and hindered historical uses of private and public land, dramatically inhibiting previously safe activities such as walking, picnicking, biking, berry picking, hunting and fishing … it is the intent of the legislature to regulate the presence of Canadian gray wolves in Idaho in order to safeguard the public, wildlife, economy and private property against additional devastation.”
A clear and present danger, safeguarding against additional devastation. Wow, how poetic and what a bunch of lies!
Of course, Governor Otter knows nothing about the biology of wolves nor does representative Lenore Barrett, R-Challis. But this doesn’t stop them from making misleading and stupid comments about these amazing animals. Ms. Barrett won’t let her grandchildren play outdoors because of the supposed presence of wolves. And, conveniently ignoring the fact that there haven’t been any wolf attacks on humans since they were reintroduced to Idaho in 1995, Ms. Barrett claimed: “They’re killers, they do it for sport, and then they leave their victim still alive for a lingering death.” Ms. Barrett isn’t alone in promulgating fear-mongering lies. As I pointed out in an earlier essay on the plight of wolves, politicians, including Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, ignore science, and others who know nothing about the biology of wolves don’t hesitate to express stupid and misleading opinions.
READ MORE: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal-emotions/201104/wolves-political-stupidity-and-fear-mongering-wolves-are-clear-and-prese
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FEAR MONGERING
The following article is a prime example of what Mark Bekoff is talking about
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Ravalli County commissioner claims wolves ruining quality of life
HAMILTON – Ravalli County residents no longer feel safe letting their children play outside because wolves are so prevalent in the Bitterroot Valley, County Commissioner Suzy Foss contends.
Foss recently listed her concerns in a letter to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks director Joe Maurier, the five-member FWP Commission and Gov. Brian Schweitzer.
“Ravalli County is under great duress due to the overpopulation of gray wolves within our borders,” Foss wrote. “Our citizens, and in turn our county government, are suffering direct negative impacts to our general welfare and most especially the safety of our citizens and our local economic vitality.”
Read more: http://missoulian.com/news/local/article_652303ce-de85-11e0-b621-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1XztJClNt
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To suggest wolves are a threat to children or anyone else for that matter in Ravalli County, has no basis in fact. There has not been one single wolf caused death in the lower forty-eight in the last hundred years. Not one wolf caused death since wolves were reintroduced to the Northern Rockies in 1995. But people can and do say anything. Demonizing wolves has become a sport in the Northern Rockies. Does the Missoulian consider this nonsense to be news?
These are real dangers to children and adults in Ravalli county and across America. that have nothing to do with wolves.
Bee Stings
40 to 100 fatal bee stings in US per year
When One Bee Sting is Your Last
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AllergiesNews/story?id=8148229&page=1
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Dog Bites and Fatal Maulings
(We all love our dogs but facts are facts)
2005/2011 – 186 Fatal Dog Attacks
4.7 million dog bites per year
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DRUNK DRIVING ACCIDENTS
Montana 2008
81 fatal accidents in Montana where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.08% or above
91 people were killed in Montana in accidents where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.08% or above
103 total deaths caused in Montana where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.01% or above
http://www.dui-usa.drinkdriving.org/Montana_dui_drunkdriving_statistics.php
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Sex Offenders/Violent Offenders
Montana Department of Justice · Sexual or Violent Offender Registry
83 registered sex offenders in Ravalli County
83 registered violent offenders Ravalli County
(Hamilton, Darby, Pinesdale, Stevensville, Coravallis, Florence, Victor, Florence)
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Hunting Accidents
How Safe is Hunting by Young People?
From CASH website:
34 accidents that resulted in injury to children aged 18 and younger (10.21% of all accidents)
29 accidents fatal to children aged 18 and younger (8.71% of all accidents)
27 injuries of children aged 11-18 (8.11% of all accidents)
7 injuries of children aged 10 and younger (2.10% of all accidents)
27 fatalities of children aged 11-18 (8.11% of all accidents)
2 fatalities of children 10 and younger (0.61% of all accidents)
Hunting Accidents 2010http://www.all-creatures.org/cash/accident-archive-2010.html
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Deer Auto Accidents
“There are more than 1.5 million crashes involving deer each year which cause over one billion in damage, 150 of the deer collisions are fatal, and there are more than 10,000 people injured.”
Montana in top five nationally for car vs. deer crashes
Read more: http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_1e474d2e-ac56-11de-aa73-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1Y0L5eq4D
“Throughout the centuries we have projected onto the wolf the qualities we most despise and fear in ourselves”..Barry Lopez
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Photo: Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Posted in: Wolf Wars
Tags: Ravalli County, gray wolf hysteria, wolf myths, fear mongering
Hunting Wolves In Montana – Where Are The Data? By Jay S. Mallonee
Hunting Wolves In Montana – Where Are The Data?
Jay S. Mallonee
Wolf & Wildlife Studies, Kalispell, MT 59901
info@wolfandwildlifestudies.com
Nature and Science 2011
Abstract:
Management agencies have claimed that the recovery and public hunting of wolves is based in science.
A review of their statistics demonstrated that data collection methods did not follow a scientific protocol which
resulted in flawed and often incorrect data. Consequently, agencies do not know the total number of wolves in
Montana, a major reference point used by wolf managers. Therefore, the quotas proposed for public wolf hunts are
completely arbitrary, and management decisions in general have not been based on facts. This has produced a wolf
management system that lacks scientific perspective and does not utilize what is known about the wolves’ role in
sustaining healthy ecosystems. Instead, the absence of verifiable data suggests that management decisions are often
based on opinion and politics rather than science.
READ MORE: http://www.wolfandwildlifestudies.com/downloads/natureandscience.pdf
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Please visit Jay’s website:
Wolf & Wildlife Studies
http://www.wolfandwildlifestudies.com/index.php
Jay Mallonee is an independent wolf researcher with a master’s degree in neurobiology/animal behavior.
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Photo: Courtesy All About Wolves
Posted in: Gray Wolf, Montana Wolves
Tags: Montana wolf hunt, peer-reviewed study, Jay Mallonee, independent research biologist
Boulder White Clouds Council
Exposing The Big Game
Footloose Montana
Friends of the Clearwater
Lockwood Animal Rescue Center
Louise du Toit
LUPUSLAETUS
Mercy For Animals
Northern Idaho Wolf Alliance (NIWA)
Predator Friendly®- Because Wildlife Matters
Project Coyote
Project: Wolf
The Nature Conservancy
The Ravensong Group
WildEarth Guardians
Wisconsin Wildlife Ethic-Vote Our Wildlife
Wolf And Wildlife Studies: Jay Mallonee (Independent Wolf Biologist)
Wolf Song of Alaska
Wolves in english ! Les loups en anglais !
WWP's Gray Wolf Page
Yellowstone To Yukon Conservation Initiative