Judge appears to tip his hand in wolf lawsuit. Letters from the West. Idaho Statesman.
Barker speculates that the death of wolf 253 could play a key role in the great delisting lawsuit. In way of correction or perhaps addition, there were many stories about 253 before and after the piece by Louisa Willcox. I think there may even be more to come.
Two decisions from Judge Molloy today on the litigation brought by the coalition of conservation and animal rights groups against the federal government’s decision to delist the Northern Rocky Mountain Gray Wolf.
The first is Judge Molloy’s decision on a motion made by the federal government requesting an extension of two weeks to respond to wolf advocates’ request for an injunction :
Update 5/8:
Montana judge rejects bid to delay wolf lawsuit
Matthew Brown - AP
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Montana, Wyoming, Idaho head to court to keep control of wolves. By Matthew Brown. Associated Press
The states are seeking to intervene in the delisting lawsuit. No doubt, they will be allowed to do this by the court. The legal purpose for intervening in a lawsuit is to make sure the court hears relevant arguments that may different or in addition to those raised by the plaintiff or the defendent.
Surely other groups will ask to intervene too. For example, the other day Don Peay, founder of the ill-named group Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, was saying they would seek to intervene.
The lawsuit has been filed with a request for an immediate injunction to suspend state management. The suit was filed in the Montana federal district court in Missoula.
Conservation Groups Sue Over Wolf Delisting. Backpacker Magazine.
Environmental, conservation groups challenge wolf delisting. By Matthew Brown, Associated Press in the Idaho Statesman.
At least 37 wolves have been killed in the first month of state management (from Brown’s story above).
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2008
CONTACT:
Suzanne Asha Stone, Defenders of Wildlife, 208-424-0932
Louisa Willcox, Natural Resources Defense Council, (406) 222-9561
Franz Camenzind, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, (307) 733-9417
Kristina Johnson, Sierra Club, (415) 977-5619
Michael Robinson, Center for Biological Diversity, (575) 534-0360
TWELVE CONSERVATION GROUPS CHALLENGE FEDERAL WOLF DELISTING
Missoula, MT. Twelve conservation groups are fighting for the survival of wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains. The groups today filed a federal court lawsuit challenging the federal government’s decision to remove the northern Rockies gray wolf population from the list of endangered species. Wolves should not
Today, Monday April 28, EarthJustice is expected to file a lawsuit trying to overturn the delisting of wolves one month ago — the handover to virtually unrestricted state management. Wyoming management has resulted already in at least ten, and probably many more, dead wolves from what was the state’s population of 188 wolves. The photos below appear to be 4 of them.
Warning if you click on this article, the photos might disturb you. They have been all over the place on email.
Wolf lawsuit on Monday. By Cory Hatch. Jackson Hole News and Guide.
Eric Keszler, who speaks for Wyoming Game and Fish, says the following in the article above: “Keszler said the current [Wyoming] population can withstand the recent wolf shootings in Sublette County. He pointed out that roughly 90 percent of Wyoming’s wolves live in the trophy game area, and that Wyoming’s wolf population has continued to grow despite losing between 60 and 80 wolves per year due in control actions resulting from livestock depredations.”
Kesler’s remarks are not true when we consider last year. In the past Wyoming’s wolf population outside Yellowstone Park grew despite fairly heavy “control” killings. Last year, however, the wolf population in Wyoming barely grew, just 7%, because official and other killings were so high.
The non-national Park Wyoming wolf population (official count) follows.
2003 82 wolves
2004 101 wolves
2005 134 wolves
2006 175 wolves
2007 188 wolves
Added 4-26. Federal wolf official taking top role in Wyoming. By Matt Joyce. Associated Press Writer
Mike Jimenez, who managed wolves in Wyoming for many years for the federal government under Ed Bangs in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has taken over the role of wolf coordinator for the state of Wyoming, it was announced today. He will oversee the state’s management of about 170* wolves in Wyoming that do no live in Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park.
While in his job for the feds, Park County tried to prosecute Jimenez for “littering” — “littering the county with wolves.” It actually went to federal court.
Wolf coordinators for the other states are Carolyn Sime in Montana and Steve Nadeau (pronounced like meadow) in Idaho.
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*188 wolves was the figure at the end of 2007. Since then at least ten, and probably more have been killed in Wyoming’s “wolves-are-now-vermin” zone, plus unreported illegal and “control” killings in the trophy game zone.
Update. The Idaho Mountain Express now has this story. F&G investigates wolf killing near Clayton. Black wolf was member of Morgan Creek wolf pack. By Jason Kaufmann.
Most of the focus has been on Wyoming, and the hatred some of the locals have of anything wild and free; but then there’s Idaho too.
We just saw a case of doubtful case of justice in Ashton, but there’s more . . . at least two wolves have been illegally killed in East Central Idaho this week. One was left tailess. For everyone’s edification here is the other. There are probably more out there.
Photo © copyright Lynne Stone.
Stone wrote “I found a black wolf that was shot on the morning of April 3, 2008 from Highway 75 near Peach Creek in the Salmon River canyon (closest town is Clayton Idaho). Peach Creek is about 20 miles down river from Stanley. The black wolf was a male, collared and known as B160, from the Morgan Creek Pack. He was probably about six years old. His teeth were worn. He had been shot through the femur and the bullet(s?) came out his stomach. The wolf was still warm when I walked out to it, laying about 70 yards from the road. I took photos, then went and found IDFG law enforcement who happened to be nearby, picking up a dead elk.”
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I’m no more offended by the blood than I was by the series of photos circulated by Save Our Elk. It’s the poaching and Idaho’s toothless wolf plan that makes my blood boil. Ralph Maughan
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