Idaho wolf update Aug. 29 to Sept. 12

Idaho wolf update Aug. 29 to Sept. 12. Idaho Fish and Game Dept.

Comment: this has very little information about what is really going on, and that is important now that the wolf population has begun to “unexpectedly” decline. Ralph Maughan

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IDAHO WOLF MANAGEMENT
BI-WEEKLY PROGRESS REPORT

To:  Idaho Fish and Game Staff and Cooperators

From:  IDFG Wolf Program Coordinator, Steve Nadeau

Subject: Status of Gray Wolf Management, Weeks of August 29 – Sept. 12, 2008.

News: FWS. Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Status (WY, MT, ID): The U.S. Federal District Court in Missoula, Montana, issued a preliminary injunction on Friday, July 18, 2008, that immediately reinstated temporary Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountain DPS pending final resolution of the case.  This includes all of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, the eastern one-third of Washington and Oregon, and parts of north-central Utah. The USFWS, the states, and Department of Justice are evaluating legal options regarding the Court’s order and the ongoing litigation over the agency’s delisting of the northern Rocky Mountain wolf population.  All wolves to the north of Interstate- 90 in Idaho are once again listed as endangered.  All wolves in the southern half of Montana, all portions of Idaho south of Interstate-90, and all of Wyoming will be managed under the 2005 and 2008 Endangered Species Act nonessential experimental population 10j regulations.  The State of Idaho Department of Fish and Game will once again act as the designated agent for the USFWS in implementing day-to-day management of wolves under the MOU between the Secretary of Interior and Governor of Idaho signed January 2006.

Delisting wolves and assuring their proper long-term management is and has been of highest priority for the state of Idaho and the Fish and Game Department.  We continue to work along with the Department of Interior, Department of Justice, and other states and interveners toward the eventual delisting of wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains, and move toward state management under the State Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and the Wolf Population Management Plan.  You may hear deputy attorney general Clive Strong discuss the legal situation and what the state is doing at the following link:  http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/wildlife/wolves/court/. [Note that this paragraph doesn’t take into account the recent decision by the federal government to throw in the towel on wolf delisting for the time being. RM ]

You may review past wolf weekly publications on our wolf webpage and links along with all pertinent and updated wolf information and publications at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/wildlife/wolves/

The more interesting stuff follows on the next page. RM

[Wyoming] legislator proposes changes to wolf plan

Wyoming’s shaken up by the Federal government’s abandonment delisting, some relative reason seems to be seeping into the Cowboy State :

Legislator proposes changes to wolf plan – Casper Star-Tribune

Livestock wants to hold the party line, apparently all the way to the indefinite listing of wolves.

Leave no child inside

With all of the technology and busy parents trying to keep up with this rat-race economy, it can be really easy to forget how much our kids need to be outside enjoying the natural world :

Leave no child inside – Missoula Independent Online

It shouldn’t take a rocket-scientist to tell us that outside is better for the kids, even so, studies show it’s true. It’s true for you and I too. For my part, I fall into that busy place all-too often, hell, I’m probably there right now. How about you?

Time to take the kids out…