BOISE, Idaho – Saturday will mark one year since Idaho took over management of wolves from the federal government, and the Gem State’s approach to the species is markedly different than the federal approach.
Suzanne Stone, northern Rockies representative for Defenders of Wildlife, says the state has been more aggressive than she expected in hunting, trapping and aerial killing of wolves.
“Idaho has led the killing of 378 wolves during the first 12 months, which means that somewhere between 40 (percent) and 55 percent of our (wolf) population has been killed.”
Under the state plan, which was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Idaho has permission to lower the number of wolves to less than 200.
Stone says Idaho is home to predators besides wolves that come into conflicts with people – such as mountain lions and black bears. Stone had hopes that wolves would be managed as are those other species.
“We were assured by the federal government that Idaho would never manage to the lower level of only 150 to 100 wolves. But in fact, we’re seeing wolves managed more like vermin in the state than valued species.”
She says Idaho maintains approximately 3,000 mountain lions and 20,000 black bears.
Stone says she sees a bright spot in wolf management: The Wood River Valley Wolf Project will be back this year in Blaine County. Non-lethal methods are used to protect grazing sheep, which Stone says educates the public about different ways to manage wolves while also capitalizing on the tourism value of the species.
Deb Courson Smith, Public News Service – ID