The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is in the initial stages of developing a Wolf Management Plan. Wyoming is the last state, of the three state region (Idaho/Montana/Wyoming), to begin this process that is necessary if the states want to take control of wolves after they are delisted from the Endangered Species Act. The state of Wyoming is due to come out with a DRAFT of the Wolf Management Plan this fall, WE WILL LET ALL OF OUR MEMBERS KNOW IN ORDER TO GIVE YOU TIME TO SEND IN COMMENTS TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF WOLF RECOVERY IN WYOMING.

As an Alliance of dedicated individuals, businesses, groups and organizations, we have sent a letter to Wyoming Game and Fish emphasizing our concerns about future wolf recovery in Wyoming once the wolves are delisted. Below you will find a copy of the letter.

AWR believes that wolves need to be restored as a predator across the state to protect and enhance biodiversity as a crucial part of the ecosystem. With this in mind, there should not be artificial limits set on the number of packs (such as 20 breeding pairs) that will be "allowed" and how to "manage" these wolves depending on how many packs are surviving. Wolves should be treated like all other wildlife in the state that do not have limits on their populations. AWR believes that wolf recovery should be based on sound biological principles (regardless of numbers) designed to protect the biodiversity of the entire ecosystem. It is not possible to successfully put a limit on the number of packs in order to determine success. With such diverse and rugged landscape, there are many uncertainties in actual counts and the accuracy of these numbers. It is impossible to obtain true pack numbers without extensive collaring and monitoring, which disrupts the lives of wolves, and many other wild creatures. In addition, these are wild animals and they know their limits. We cannot determine exactly what number the ecosystem needs to flourish once again, this is up to the wildlife that spend their lives in these fragile ecosystems. Wolves will populate at a rate that they see as being secure. Their litter and pack size is directly related to the amount of prey and territory that they have. They typically will not over-populate themselves.

In addition, AWR does not agree with any killing of wolves due to livestock depredations, regardless if it is carried out by federal government officials, state wardens or private landowners. Nearly all livestock conflicts are the result of poor to zero animal husbandry practices, it is time that livestock producers take more responsibility to protect their herds if they insist on grazing in predator populated areas. Any control, even non-lethal control, should only be allowed AFTER all preventative measures have been tried, including the removal of livestock (NOT WOLVES) in chronic problem areas. As it has been so well stated before, THERE ARE NO PROBLEM WOLVES, JUST PROBLEM HUMANS.

Below is a copy of the letter that we signed onto and sent in to the Wyoming Game and Fish. Stay tuned to our website and our periodic action alerts to keep informed on what you can do to help protect the wolves and ensure their longtime survival in the few remaining native territories that still exist today. Delisting could happen as soon as 2004, we must stay involved and make our voice heard in the Management Plans.

Dear Wyoming Game and Fish:

Please accept these comments on your wolf plan on behalf of the Institute for Wildlife Protection. We are pleased that wolf recovery is proceeding at a reasonable rate in Wyoming and that the state is now preparing to take over management of the species. We hope that the following points will be in your plan.

PREDATION AS ECOLOGICAL PROCESS First and foremost the goal of recovery should be to reestablish the ecological process of predation not simply recovery of a token population of wolves. Wolves as top predators are essential to the preservation of native biodiversity. They influence everything in the ecosystem from the development of predator avoidance strategies in large ungulates ungulate distribution and habitat use and also influence scavengers as well as the numbers and distribution of other predators such as coyotes and foxes.

NO ARTIFICIAL LIMITS ON WOLVES Due to this critical ecological function there should be no artificial limits placed on wolf distribution or numbers in Wyoming. Wolves should be treated like other wildlife species in the state which are not specifically limited by management or agency directives. We strongly support management that seeks to maintain wolves at their natural biological limits not some politically determined limits. In most instances this means no management of wolves at all since as top predators wolves are ultimately limited by the availability of prey. Indeed we suggest that human activities should be managed or restricted to enhance wolf recovery and distribution. This may require closure near den and rendezvous sites closure or restriction on hunting of large prey and road closures to reduce illegal take of animals. Wolf control should only occur in verified instances of threat to human life and only after non-lethal methods have been utilized.

LIVESTOCK CONFLICTS Wolf predation on livestock are the greatest potential source of conflict. Yet most if not all conflicts are caused by poor animal husbandry practices such as allowing stock to wander without proper safeguards. Non-lethal mechanisms that can help to avoid conflicts include use of deterrents like alarm systems prompt removal of livestock carcasses to reduce attracting predators increased use of guard dogs herders and range riders when appropriate and relocation of livestock from chronic problem areas when other methods are not successful. The state should mandate that any control even non-lethal removal of wolves should only occur after these preventive mechanisms are in place or have been tried.

HABITAT PROTECTION Although wolves are prolific breeders there are some areas that can be considered critical to on-going wolf viability. An analysis and identification of these special areas should be part of the wolf plan process. These habitats should be given extra protection by agencies or land use plans. These habitats may include but are not limited to migration corridors big game migration routes big game winter ranges and the location of major highway corridors that may become barriers to the free-movement of wolves across the landscape.

LEGAL STATUS The state legal status of wolves should be listed as a protected species.