County offers prime wolf habitat
By CALEB WARNOCK * The Daily Herald
On Nov. 25, a male wolf from Yellowstone National Park known
as “253” became the first confirmed canis lupis in Utah in nearly 70 years
when it was caught in a coyote trap about 25 miles north of Salt Lake
City.
Now, a new citizens coalition would like to prepare residents
for as many as 700 more of the creatures — and they are advocating the
Book Cliffs in Utah County’s southeast corner as prime wolf habitat.
Allison Jones, spokeswoman for the Utah Wolf Forum, said a
Utah
State University study of potential wolf habitat in Utah has earmarked
approximately one-third to one-half of Utah County — up to 1,000 square
miles, mainly the forested and sparsely populated area east of the Wasatch
Front — as “best” or “good” quality habitat for natural wolf relocation,
as defined by availability of prey, open space and safety.
The gray wolf was reintroduced to the western United States in
1995 when 14 wolves from Canada were transplanted to Yellowstone. Since
that day, the wolf population has grown to include 650 to 700 wolves in
Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, with almost half of those in Yellowstone.
“We knew they would never stay in the park and we knew some
would disperse into Utah and surrounding states,” said Ed Bangs, wolf
recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Although Utah could reintroduce wolves, no one has suggested
such a plan, said Bangs. But the wolves may come on their own.
“Wolves could be in Utah County next week or in 10 years,”
Jones
said.
The issue is paramount because when “253” was discovered, a
second set of wolf prints — almost certainly from a smaller female —
were also identified, indicating the two were probably starting a pack.
“253” was taken back to Yellowstone, but the female likely remains in
Utah.
There is no question that wolves will naturally re-establish
themselves in Utah, Jones said. The only question is what the state will
do about it.
Wolves are now listed as endangered species by the U.S. Fish
and
Wildlife Service, giving the government control over any wolves that come
into Utah — but the service has announced its intention to downlist
wolves to threatened within a month, and delist the animal altogether by
early 2004, Bangs said.
“Utah doesn’t have a management plan and they should have had
their act together before now,” Jones said.
Rep. Mike Styler, R-Delta, has proposed what is being called
the
“Wolf Control Bill” to be considered in the upcoming legislative session.
The bill, which is not finished and has yet to be assigned a number, will
ask the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to downlist wolves.
“What we’d like to do is be able to manage wolves in Utah just
the same as we do other predators that are protected, such as cougars and
bears,” said Styler. “That means they are protected — people can’t just
go out and shoot them, or trap them or anything else.” However, if they do
cause a problem with livestock, the state would be allowed to trap them or
kill them.
The Utah Wolf Forum believes killing a wolf is unacceptable,
Jones said.
“I think more than the environmental community would be upset
if
they shot a wolf,” she said. “Polls indicate the majority of Utahns favor
the idea of wolves in the state. As soon as there are any hint of
problems, we could get that wolf out of there immediately and put it in a
wolf safe recovery zone in the Book Cliffs or on the south side of the
Uintas.”
Styler said his bill would also establish a fund that would
compensate Utah ranchers for livestock lost to wolves.
Henry Maddux of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said wolves
found in Utah will not be removed unless they kill livestock.
Jones said “253” should never have been removed at all.
“They should have let it go on site,” she said. “That wolf
showed every indication of having started a pack. The wolf had not killed
any livestock. What people don’t understand is that the vast majority of
wolves, when given the chance, will choose to kill native elk and deer.
The solid majority want nothing to do with livestock.”
Craig Clyde, wildlife biologist with Utah Division of
Wildlife,
said wolves in Utah could help reduce overpopulation of the state’s larger
wildlife.
Craig Clyde, wildlife biologist with Utah Division of
Wildlife,
said wolves in Utah could help reduce overpopulation of the state’s larger
wildlife.
“They have to eat and that would be one of their prey base —
deer, elk, moose and antelope, so they would reduce the numbers,” he said.
Moreover, because coyotes are also a primary food source for
wolves, predator-killed livestock numbers actually decrease as much as a
third when wolves are present, according to the USU report. Coyotes are so
numerous in Utah that the state is now funding studies to surgically
sterilize coyotes in areas where they regularly prey on livestock.
Historically, local economies have also benefited from an
increase in wolf-related tourism, according to the report.
“The ecosystem will be healthier with the wolves — the
science
shows that to us in every case — and I think Utahns by and large already
get it,” Jones said. “We can help usher in the natural recovery that is
already under way and someday have a flourishing, vital population of
wolves and still have a perfectly healthy ranching and hunting industry.”
For more information about the Utah Wolf Forum, visit
www.brwcouncil.org/html/wolves.html.