This morning I was in the gym working out and saw a story on tv about a morning fatal crash of two cars on the Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles that killed both drivers....................Horrible when you hear of these things yet the newscaster simply reports the fatalities and moves onto the next story without any editorial.......................Yet when a wolf, coyote, cougar, bear or other predator kills livestock, pet dogs and cats..............or on the rare occasion(now Wetchester County is up in arms about the girls bitten by two coyotes)that one of our fellow predators has a bad encounter with us humans, there is an outcry to destroy the animals and in the case of the Cattlemens Association in Oregon(and elsewhere), a cry to kill all of the animals whenever they are seen.
Perhaps we should destroy all the cars in the USA since they kill 50,000 humans every year?
Read on about the dozen or so Wolves that now call Oregon home and the cry to kill two of them that killed some livestock............
Radicalizing the wolf issue doesn't benefit anyone
Published: Friday, July 16, 2010, 4:00 PM
By ROB KLAVINS and NOAH GREENWALD
The elimination of wolves from Oregon during the 20th century is one of our state's greatest environmental tragedies. Their return could become one of our greatest success stories. That won't happen if the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the governor's office continue to cave to the same fearful, vocal, special interests that killed them off in the first place.
In 2005, Oregon wisely put together a Wolf Conservation and Management Plan to address the inevitable return of wolves to the state and provide a guide for rationally addressing conflicts between wolves and livestock. Although many conservationists had misgivings about aspects of the plan, we hoped its implementation would be guided by science and prioritize recovery and conflict prevention. Conservationists hoped we could avoid the bitter conflicts that have made headlines in Idaho and Wyoming.
We thought Oregon would be different. We were wrong. Our state is failing its first test.
A small number of wolves have been in Oregon for more than a decade, and we missed a great opportunity. But there is a steep learning curve for those raising livestock in wolf country. Before 1946 wolves were simply shot. For the next 50 years, carcass piles and taking measures to prevent losses weren't necessary. Anti-predator sentiment and a resistance to change still remain for some people. We knew conflict could come at some point and would be magnified by those looking to again eliminate wolves.
This spring, wolves took six cattle. In response, ODFW authorized Wildlife Services to kill two wolves from a population that includes not more than 13 or 14 adult animals. In 2005 -- the year the wolf plan was drafted -- 200 sheep were killed by eagles. Imagine if the state had instead authorized a hunt for nearly one-fifth of the state's eagles. Despite an end to the losses and movement of the wolves away from the area, the department extended the kill permits three times.
One of the most outspoken anti-wolf groups has been the Oregon Cattlemen's Association. Last year, the industry group proposed legislation that The Oregonian editorial board described as having "the practical effect of taking this state back to the days when wolves were shot on sight." The group's zeal for weakening endangered species laws has not abated.
Thankfully, we know that not all in the livestock industry or Wallowa County share the views of the OCA. The continued radicalization of the wolf issue doesn't benefit anyone. While it may not come as a surprise to learn that the OCA has attempted to gut the wolf plan, it's more shocking that the same industry group has embraced such an all-or-nothing strategy that it actively fought passage of legislation to establish a compensation program and fund a plan designed to prevent conflict without lethal measures -- twice. Both efforts were supported by conservation groups.
Despite the vast majority of Oregonians supporting wolf recovery, the only part of the wolf plan state officials seem to be pursuing with any enthusiasm is addressing a small number of depredations by killing a still very endangered species. Though the days of killing off entire species are supposed to be long gone, the agency has broken both the letter and the spirit of the law.
We were left with no choice but to take the issue to court.
Thankfully, our legal challenge resulted in the voluntary suspension of the wolf hunt. Oregon's confirmed wolf population consists of two packs and one breeding pair. The death of any of these wolves puts their recovery in jeopardy.
Most Oregonians value wildlife. If radical special interests continue to go for an all-or-nothing approach to wolf management, and ODFW continues to give in to them, there will be no winners. This summer, ODFW will complete the five-year review of its wolf conservation plan. The plan needs science-based recovery goals and an emphasis on helping Oregonians live with wolves without resorting to bullets. If we don't, the state is bound to push Oregon's wolves right back to extinction.
Rob Klavins is roadless wildlands advocate with Oregon Wild. Noah Greenwald is endangered species program director for the Center for Biological Diversity.
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