By Jackie Bartz
Channel 2 News
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The State of Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game will begin shooting wolves for the first time on the Kenai Peninsula, in order to boost moose populations for hunters.
It’s part of an intensive management plan for moose that was passed by the Alaska Board of Game on Tuesday, during its statewide meeting in Anchorage.
“It’s to promote a balance between the predators and the prey, relative to human interest for having food for consumption in that area of the state,” said Dale Rabe, acting director of the department’s Division of Wildlife Conservation.
The state won’t be able to shoot wolves on a large portion of the Kenai, however, because it’s part of the federal Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. The state and federal government have different mandates when it comes to managing wildlife.
“The state is basically trying to maximize the availability of game species and our mandate is to manage for natural diversity,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson Bruce Woods.
“At this point there are differences of opinion in terms of what Congress and other statutory requirements allow and do not allow, but we continue to work with them,” Rabe said.
Federal and state officials are working together on a habitat restoration project to help boost moose populations.
Organizations like Defenders of Wildlife are adamantly opposed to predator control on the Kenai.
“Defenders remains opposed to these proposals and we feel that aerial wolf control is not justified or appropriate for the Kenai Peninsula,” said Theresa Fiorino, Defenders of Wildlife’s Alaska representative.
Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell still needs to sign off on the program. He is expected to do so during the next few weeks.