Thursday, October 28, 2010

Gridlock on wolves alienates key allies

An impasse over wolf management in the Northern Rockies is alienating hunters and ranchers, groups whose support is crucial to the canny predators’ long-term success in the region, experts say. Many are fuming at wolves’ recent return to the Endangered Species List in Idaho and Montana. The action canceled public wolf hunts in both states this fall, even though wolf counts in Idaho and Montana far exceed the minimum federal recovery goals of at least 30 breeding pairs and more than 300 wolves. “We had an agreement that lots of people signed off on. And now they feel betrayed,” said Dan Pletscher, a wildlife biology professor at the University of Montana. Idaho had a minimum of 843 wolves at the end of 2009, and Montana had 524. “We get above the federal goal, and that’s still not enough,” said Elaine Allestad, a Montana sheep rancher. The mounting frustration is bad news for wolves, said Pletscher, who predicts a rise in illegal killings and potential weakening of the Endangered Species Act. Idaho and Montana congressional delegations are sponsoring bills to return management of their wolf populations to their states. It’s politically expedient, Pletscher said, but that type of legislative maneuvering ultimately undermines the science-based process in the Endangered Species Act...more

Dr. Pletscher, it was "legislative maneuvering" that created the ESA. As long as the people feel "betrayed" they will turn to Congress for relief. You should either support amendments to the ESA to allow for more flexibility, or you can expect more "legislative maneuvering".

Anyway, trying to set it up as "science based" vs. "legislative maneuvering" ain't gonna cut it here.

No comments: