 |
 |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wolves in Northwest Montana took a dangerous dive recently with breeding pair numbers plummeting and the total population dropping to below 100 animals. At the end of 2003 there were only 92 wolves (down from 108 in 2002) and four breeding pairs (down from 11 in 2002). Compared to the 368 wolves and 25 breeding pairs in the Central Idaho Recovery Area and 301 wolves and 21 breeding pairs in Yellowstone Recovery Area, this decline shows the fragile nature of an endangered or threatened species attempting to naturally recover. The risks are very apparent of prematurely claiming their recovery a success.
The Northwest Montana Recovery area is north of I-90, west of I-15 and Hwy. 87 and also includes a small portion of the Idaho panhandle. Industrial development chokes many of the low elevation spaces. Ranchettes, complete with cattle, sheep and llamas grazing the front yards, litter the few open valleys that lie at the bottom of steep, rocky peaks. Outside of the wilds of Glacier, Bob Marshall and a few other small wilderness areas, it's a maze of roads leading to clearcuts, mining and overall wilderness abuse. Wolves and their prey have a tough time finding space to survive?and their numbers show this. Before wolves were trapped in Canada and dropped into Idaho and Yellowstone, Montana's wolf population was struggling to naturally recover with two or three packs and a few lone wolves roaming throughout this fairly isolated region. The Canadian border to the north proves to be both an advantage and a disadvantage for wolves fighting for survival in northwestern Montana. Wolves do wander back and forth across the border, providing natural dispersals from Canada. However, wolves that cross the border lose what little protections they now have in Montana and are faced with legalized hunting and trapping. Roads, developments, immense mountain ranges, and sprawling livestock operations have made it difficult for wolves in Idaho and Yellowstone to successfully traverse into NW Montana, however these dispersals are crucial. Populations of wolves cannot be isolated into tiny islands of wilderness and be expected to become a genetically viable population. Wolves traverse across vast distances in search of prey, territories, and mates. The corridors that wolves, and other wildlife, use are critically important segments of wilderness and need to be recognized and protected at all costs. The Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA) establishes, and seeks protection for linkage corridors between Yellowstone, NW Montana and Idaho. By protecting such passages, wolves can successfully breed, live and hunt across more of their native territories in the Northern Rockies. The recovery of wolves should not be how many are in this place or that place?but how many are surviving throughout what territories are left and living their lives like native wolves. With critically low populations numbers, lethal management and illegal killings have hit NW Montana's wolves with a devastating blow. At least 21 wolves (23% of the population) died in 2003. All mortalities were human caused with 14 being killed for depredations, 4 being struck and killed by vehicles and 2 illegal shootings. Three former breeding packs were so heavily culled or completely destroyed that they were unable to regain breeding status. Within the first three months of 2003, 12 members of the Castle Rock and Halfway Packs were killed near Avon, MT for conflicts with ranching operations. Of the remaining wolves, a pup was found dead on the side of the road and a lone male was illegally killed in November. Wolves have since wandered back into this killing zone and started to re-establish at least the Castle Rock Pack with four current members. This area could well be termed a "wolf sink" if wolves continue to colonize and killings continue, as promised, in the name of livestock operations. The situation remains very tenuous. The famous Ninemile Pack has also been recently targeted and stripped of their breeding pair status with just three members. For the past 14-15 years, the Ninemile pack has served as an crucial key to recovery, now with only three members and no breeding pair, they are fighting for survival in their shrinking native territory with more development, livestock operations, houses and roads closing in on them every day. According to USFWS, 'the Ninemile just isn't a good place for wolves anymore'. In the spring of 2003, USFWS went a step further in weakening the fate of NW Montana's struggling wolves. Wolves in 9 western states (including 21 states east of the Northern Rockies) were downlisted to threatened, allowing private citizens to kill wolves without penalty. Stripping endangered protections from a critically fragile population likely leads to decline in breeding pair populations and overall numbers. This is exactly what happened. One year after downlisting, the number of wolves in NW Montana has dropped by 14% and there has been a 64% decline in breeding pairs. Downlisting will also serve a very negative impact to those states, which contain excellent wolf habitat currently void of wolves. This includes Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada and Utah, among others. The USFWS is claiming recovery of wolves from endangered status in states where wolves don't currently exist. Studies show that additional western states could successfully provide territory for up to 1,600 wolves. By providing NW Montana wolves with additional surrounding populations to draw from, recovery in other states is crucial for this population as well as working towards true recovery levels within the entire Northern Rockies Ecosystem. With this downlisting, states are working on "management" plans where "recovery" hasn't even begun. Wolves of NW Montana are on a downward spiral, but they are far from a forgotten population. They deserve more. Please let USFWS know how you feel about the declining NW Montana wolf population in relation to downlisting and future delisting to state management that will allow hunting and legalized wolf killing, just short of the historical bounties placed on wolves causing their near extinction. With only 4 breeding pairs, and falling total numbers, wolves in NW Montana are far from recovered and cannot sustain these increased killings. This is a population that is relatively isolated and fighting to survive in a native territory that continues to shrink daily with human consumption. These wolves, however, are fighters. It is said that between 1870-1877, 100,000 wolves a year were killed in Montana. However, tucked away in those narrow valleys butting up against rugged peaks that boast tiny, but true, wilderness, a few wolves did manage to survive. Contact USFWS. Tell them you are aware of the shrinking population of NW Montana wolves and the fact that they are crucial to obtain TRUE recovery of wolves to the Northern Rockies. Contact info:
|
|||
|
|||
Wolf
packs of the NW Montana Recovery Area. Breeding pairs have been reduced
from 11 packs in 2002 to only 4 packs. Currently, Whitefish, Fishtrap,
Lazy Creek and Hog Heaven are the only packs with breeding pair status.