Enzi requests wolf inquiries
By BUZZY HASSRICK
Two federal agencies have been asked to look into the effect of wolf management on landowners and local communities.
The request to the Interior and Justice departments came Monday from Sen. Mike Enzi, who was responding to a request from the Park County commissioners based on a Feb. 14 incident on a Meeteetse ranch with a federal wolf official.
Enzi is asking the departments to apply a “strict liability standard.”
Dubbed a “no excuse standard,” it means “regardless of the reasons for the action, those taking the action are responsible for what happens,” Enzi spokesman Coy Knobel said.
Enzi further asked that the inquiry include answers to two questions he posed:
“How many times has the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released wolves in Wyoming without adequately ascertaining the location of the release?
“How many times have wolves been relocated by the agency onto private property?”
The Feb. 14 incident developed when F&WS agent Mike Jimenez and an assistant darted four wolves from a helicopter, gathered them onto the chopper and then later off-loaded them to collar, “process” and release.
Jimenez said he did not realize the land was private and, during his work, met and chatted with Larsen Ranch manager Randy Kruger. Later Kruger reported the incident to county officials, asking them to consider trespass charges.
The incident is under investigation by the state Division of Criminal Investigation.
“I am deeply concerned about a number of issues that arise from this incident,” Enzi said.
He cited conflicting reports about the details of the incident and said he wants them resolved. He also is bothered by the idea of mixing wolves and livestock.
“It’s my belief the relocation and release of dangerous and deadly predators pose a significant enough threat to the public and to lives and livelihoods of surrounding communities that any agency action on this matter should be treated with a strict liability standard,” Enzi said.
A release point for wolves should consider the potential damage to landowners and livestock, he added.
“Regardless of the reason for releasing the wolves on private lands, the fact remains that a dangerous predator was released on private lands in Wyoming without permission of the private landowners,” Enzi said.
The entire wolf program merits review, he added.
“I also am interested in finding out the extent and history of these activities to determine to what degree relocation efforts have imposed a burden on private landowners in the past and what level of threat relocation will impose on Wyoming residents, should this practice continue to occur in the future,” he said.
His request went to Interior Secretary Gale Norton, and Tom Sansonetti, assistant attorney general in the Justice Department.