Posted on 08/03/2021 5:54:41 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife killed two wolf pups from a helicopter Sunday following "chronic" cattle depredation in eastern Oregon.
"We want to see the pack persist and endure in this area, but we have a responsibility to address this chronic depredation," Oregon Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Michelle Dennehy told SFGATE.
Advertisement Dennehy said the Lookout Mountain wolf pack killed four cows and injured one calf in a 14-day period in July, which qualifies as chronic depredation. On July 29, Fish and Wildlife approved a kill permit that enabled the livestock producer to kill up to four un-collared wolves within a designated area.
Under Oregon's Wolf Plan rules, a kill permit can only be issued if the livestock producer first uses and documents non-lethal methods "appropriate to the situation," the press release said. In addition, there cannot be "identified circumstances," including bone piles and carcasses, which attract wolves, on the property.
Dennehy said efforts were made to find the wolves on Friday, but only collared wolves were seen. On Sunday, Fish and Wildlife went up in a helicopter and spotted uncollared pups, two of which were killed. Fish and Wildlife estimates the pups were about three-and-a-half months old.
The pups were singled out in an effort to "reduce the food needs of the pack," Dennehy said. The fewer the pups to feed, the fewer cattle killed, the logic goes. The killing is also an effort to change pack behavior.
"We're trying to get them to see that this is not something they want to be doing," Dennehy said.
"We totally get that it's upsetting that pups are getting killed," Dennehy added. "But I hope the public understands that we set this up in this way to allow the pack to endure and persist."
In April, Oregon announced it had at least 173 wolves in the state, a 9.5% increase over the last year. A total of 22 packs (of four or more wolves) were documented in the count, 17 of which reproduced and had at least two adults and two pups that survived through December 2020. Seven groups of two to three wolves were also documented.
In January, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially removed gray wolves in the lower 48 states from the Endangered Species List, turning management over to state fish and wildlife agencies.
Wolves re-established themselves in Oregon in the 2000s.
"We're trying to get them to see that this is not something they want to be doing," Dennehy said.
Did he say that with a straight face?????
“The killing is also an effort to change pack behavior.
“We’re trying to get them to see that this is not something they want to be doing,” Dennehy said.”
In the words of the famous tennis star John McEnroe.
“You can-NOT be serious!”
What, they think the other wolves will say, “Hey Pinky and Sparky got shot for eating calves, we better cool it.”
This is what you idiots get for reintroducing them. Now you’re killing them. Coyotes have been doing this forever. They will kill a calf or kid (goat), take one bite and leave it.
I have an idea—let’s put our trust in bureaucrats from fish and game agencies to meddle in the ecosystems.
Ah, our government. These idiots couldn’t even tie their own shoelaces.
The pups were singled out in an effort to “reduce the food needs of the pack,” Dennehy said. The fewer the pups to feed, the fewer cattle killed, the logic goes. The killing is also an effort to change pack behavior.
“We’re trying to get them to see that this is not something they want to be doing,” Dennehy said.
This doesn’t even work on feral humans.
The article says they re-established themselves. Apparently no one’s to blame, and a good talking-to will straighten things out.
First wee are attacked by the chicom virus...
Now our wolves are attacked by helicopter...
I hope there is a vaccine for helicopter available soon and it is more effective than the one for chicom virus...
They just learn to conceal when they hear a helicopter.
With a side a pup fish.
In my career, I've worked with a relatively, unusually large amount of folks with Vet Science backgrounds. It always alarmed me how much they anthropomorphized animals.
This cat is a perfect example.
However, if it leads more folks to have a good time gunning down awful predators, then God Bless his idiocy!
Half a dozen spent rounds, half a dozen beers fired down, with half a dozen friends, and a similar amount of dead alpha predators... Can't see the negative in that for anyone.
Re: 4 - Yes, good point. Humans believe they can essentially “reason” with wild animals in order to modify behaviors?
What hubris.
Get a c-130 gunship and kill them all.
What idiots! They think the wolves are going to connect the death of the pups to their predation of livestock? What do they think this is, Bambi?
“Wolves re-established themselves..”
Without government help?
Or even pass the basic USPS entry exam.
Too bad they weren’t coyotes, you wouldn’t need more than a cliff and an anvil or two...
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