Wolves won't be coming to the Northeast after FWS denies petition
Supporters say species recovery lacks leadership
By Darren Marcy - Published: June 25, 2010
Supporters of the idea of recovering wild wolves to Vermont and the northeastern United States suffered a setback recently when the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service denied a petition seeking to designate gray wolves in the Northeast as a distinct population.
The FWS had a simple reason for denying the petition: There is no proof that a population of wolves exists.
The end result is no recovery plan will be developed to bring the wolf back in the Northeast.
But the issue remains and it’s worthy of consideration.
Wolves are one of those signature species that draw dramatic and divergent views.
Like coyotes, the wolf is hated in some camps and revered in others.
The opposition to wolves can best be found out west where wolf wars have been fought for
decades and popular refrains include, “We got rid
of them for a reason,” and “The only good wolf is a dead wolf.”
Their impact on elk and deer herds is well documented, although supporters will say those
game species are merely brought down to a level they should be.
Ranchers are also – generally – opposed to the wolf because they tend to eat their sheep,
cattle and even dogs.
Others, however, are simply concerned with the idea that a coyote hunter who thinks he shooting
a large coyote later to be determined to be a wild
wolf could be charged under the Endangered Species Act.
But supporters are passionate about the wolf and what it symbolizes.
I’m certainly not anti-hunting. I was born and raised a hunter and fully support legal, ethical hunting
practices as a scientific tool to better manage game
species that would otherwise quickly expand beyond their biological carrying capacity.
But I am, as I imagine many outdoor enthusiasts are, fascinated by the wolf.
There are real and valid concerns.
Having wolves in our midst would change some things.
While documented attacks on humans are incredibly rare, just like with the grizzly bear and mountain lion,
wolf attacks do happen.
For a long time, it was largely reported that no human had ever been killed by a healthy, wild wolf on the
North American continent. Wolf-hybrids, which are kept as pets by some people, and rabid wolves have been
known to attack people.
That all changed in the last few years.
An Ontario college student was killed by wolves in Sakatchewan in 2005 at a remote camp. There were some
questions as to whether the man was actually a victim of wolves, or perhaps a bear, but after detailed analysis
of the case and based on reports of wolves in the area that seemed to have lost their fear of humans, wolves were
listed as the official culprit.
Then, just a few months ago, a young woman was killed by a pack of wolves in southwest Alaska, throwing gasoline
on the wolf debate.
Interestingly, Alaska and Canada were the only places in North America wolves could be legally hunted until some limited
and tightly controlled hunts were offered in some northern Rocky Mountain states this past year.
The recent decision to deny the permit that would have designated gray wolves in Vermont, New York, New Hampshire,
Massachusetts and Maine as a distinct population segment under the Endangered Species Act doesn’t sit well with advocates of the wolf.
In a press release, Mollie Matteson of the Center for Biological Diversity said the only thing stopping the return of the wolf in the region is leadership.
“There is extensive habitat for wolves in the Northeast,” Matteson said. “The only obstacle to the return of the wolf in the Northeast is leadership
and a clear plan for their recovery. Wolves need a national recovery plan that plans for their recovery in the Northeast and elsewhere.”
Wolves were extirpated in the Northeast a century ago, but there have been several documented cases of individuals in the region.
In fact, there have been eight wolves killed in the Northeast in the last 50 years.
The most recent came in 2007, when a male gray wolf was killed in western Massachusetts. Officials say the wolf most likely traveled south
from Quebec, Canada.
In 2006, a farmer shot an animal in northern Vermont that was determined to have DNA from two separate, geographically distinct, wolf populations,
but was most likely captive bred, according to genetic testing conducted at four laboratories.
To be considered a population, there would have to be at least two breeding pairs each successfully raising at least two young in two consecutive years.
The potentially exists in pockets of the Northeast.
New York’s Adirondack Park and the upper regions of border states are all sparsely populated with vast stretches of suitable habitat.
One study suggested the Northeast could support a wolf population of 1,200 to 1,800 wolves.
But the biggest question isn’t the biological carrying capacity of the area, but the social carrying capacity.
Just how many wolves would residents of the region put up with?
That question isn’t yet answered, and for now, thanks to the FWS decision, won’t be any time soon.
I, for one, would relish a chance to hear the howl of a pack of wild wolves when sitting by a campfire at night.
@Body tagline:Contact Darren by e-mail at mail@darrenmarcy.com or through his website at www.DarrenMarcy.com.
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