Posted on 11/14/2009 10:13:05 AM PST by george76
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and environmentalists reached an agreement Friday that scraps a rule the agency had used to kill or permanently remove any wolf that killed three heads of livestock in a year.
Fish and Wildlife spokesman Tom Buckley said the three-strikes rule "will no longer stand."
Ranchers said the policy targeted wolves that grow accustomed to preying on cattle.
Several environmental groups sued in May 2008, asking a U.S. District Court in Arizona to stop the removal policy on the Mexican gray wolf, a subspecies of the gray wolf. Buckley said agency officials hope a judge signs the settlement next week.
The Fish and Wildlife Service began backing off rigid enforcement of the policy this year.
Southwest Regional director Benjamin Tuggle in June allowed an alpha male wolf linked to four livestock killings to remain free in southwestern New Mexico.
He said the wolf had produced pups and removing him could hurt the program.
Two months later, Tuggle decided a wolf pack in the same area should stay in the wild despite the pack killing three cows in one month.
(Excerpt) Read more at durangoherald.com ...
Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity wins another one.
Robinson and the leaders of all the other enviro groups should supply riders to protect the livestock at no charge and pay all reimbursement fees for wolf predation.
Let the enviros put their money where their mouth is, of course the USF&WS wouldn’t be funded with millions in taxpayer dollars for the program if that happened.
Today, there are about 50 wolves in Arizona and New MexicoSeems to me like that is worth noting. Those are huge states, and 50 doesn't sound like many are left, not enough to keep a population genetically healthy. Assuming, of course, you value having a healthy population of wolves -- not all do.
Conversely, if the argument is that the wolves are less important to the world than the livestock, why not argue for complete eradication and let the enviros scream bloody murder all they want.
Halfway measures are only aggravating to all concerned.
Disclaimer: I live in Upstate NY, don't have a dog in this fight, and am not aware of the subtleties of the arguments ;-)
The ecos make lots of promises that should never be believed.
Too bad that the ranchers cant put a bounty on Robinson.
Why do we need the Mexican gray wolf sub-species? This is another example of environmentalists putting animals above people. Wolf packs are dangerous and people in Arizona and New Mexico are not expecting wolves to be in that area. This policy puts hikers and people who live in remote areas at risk of fatal wolf attacks. The ranchers should just shoot the wolves if they cause trouble.
Is it just me, or are predators the only animals that exist to greenies?
Amen to that.
These Mexican wolves should be returned to Mexico.
Same with the Canadian wolves imported and released into Yellowstone at great taxpayer expense. Job security for government beaucrocrazies for unlimted expensive wolf management.
The Canadian wolves had a ‘recovery’ area of Yellowstone which was soon ignored as the wolves have spread over much of the west and expanding into new areas & bigger numbers.
The Hollywood ecos and Ted Turner dream of the elimation of all family ranchers and farmers.
It sure seems that way, doesn’t it. It doesn’t matter what part of the country or whether it’s wolves, coyotes, cougars or bears, the enviros get their panties in a wad over managing them and keeping their numbers at an acceptable level.
They always take the position the game animals are there for the predator to prey on and want hunting curtailed or stopped. They also seem to think that livestock predation should be paid for with tax dollars.
Elimination of Hollywood ecos and Ted Turner is a worthy objective. They are a scourge on humanity.
“Is it just me, or are predators the only animals that exist to greenies?”
“The future of communism in America is the environmental movement.” Gus Hall, Nat. Chairman, CommunistParty, USA.
Any critter, bug, or plant is OK if it can be used to socialize private lands, harm the American economy, or devalue/destroy private property and or property rights.
Large bodied predators are most useful, but even a bug will do.
I've wondered what they would have done at the time of the extinction of the dinosaurs? Would they still be protecting and allowing them free roam today?
Kind of like current climate environmentalists... why do they get to choose what 'climate' we live in? Bring back ALL of the glaciers!
Good point!
I was watching TV earlier, when a commercial came on " to save the sharks". It was "heart wrenching" to see all those poor little sharks thrashing about in nets and on hooks, but I noticed they didn't film a feeding frenzy!
There are few things more gory than a wolf kill. They will run an animal ragged, rip its stomach open and let it die like that. They will kill for the chase too.
Thank goodness they only take out sick/weak animals.
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