WestSouthwest with Nancy Gibson
The co-founder of the International Wolf Center says wolf hunting continues to be clouded by politics.
Nancy Gibson told WMUK’s Gordon Evans that many states are debating whether to allow wolf hunting and regulation for such harvests. She says a ballot measure on the issue, like in Michigan is still rare.
Increasing numbers of wolves and people seeing them has brought more attention to the issue. But Gibson says there are still legends and myths about wolves that obscure the issue of whether wolf hunting should be allowed.
Gibson says for now there is no danger of wolves becoming an endangered species again. She says in Michigan the wolves came from Minnesota through Wisconsin. Gibson says the recovered number of wolves in Michigan was supposed to be 50. She says it’s now between 600 and 700 wolves. Gibson says a small percentage of wolves eat livestock. But she says if a wolf can eat livestock in an area, the chances they will repeat is very strong.
As far as human safety, Gibson says there have been a couple of people killed by wolves. But she says “the most likely scenario is that a wolf will hear, smell and see you long before you see it, and it will avoid you.”
Gibson says she would like professionals take charge on managing wolves and other wildlife in Michigan and other states. She says “if we stick with the science, wolves are going to have a future.” Gibson says keeping some wild lands will help wolves thrive.
Asked what her greatest fear is if policy is not based on science, Gibson says “the wrong people will be making the wrong decisions based on the wrong information.” She says that’s not just for wolves, but for all wildlife.