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Email: timberwolfinfonetwork@gmail.com

MT: RMEF makes donation to help with wolf management in MT

by Dennis Bragg (KPAX/KAJ Media Center)

MISSOULA- The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is making a major donation to help wildlife biologists with tracking wolves across Montana.

RMEF announced the $51,000 gift on Tuesday, with the money going directly to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the federal Wildlife Services program. That’s the federal agency FWP contracts with to monitor wolf populations with radio collars.

The money will be used to buy additional collars to monitor additional wolves, helping to identify problem wolves that may need to be renewed, as well as improving data used to manage wolves.

The gift from RMEF is not being taken from membership dollars or other funding for habitat conservation, but from a separate account supported by special donations. In fact, RMEF leaders first offered $50,000 but donations added $1,000 to the available total.

“RMEF supporters have stepped up to help biologists restore some balance in certain areas,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “Wildlife Services is a vital tool for controlling wolves in areas of heavy livestock depredation. That effort helps wildlife conservation, too.”

FWP Director Joe Maurier said, “We’re grateful for the partnership from RMEF. Wolves are an additional predator on the Montana landscape, and we’re finding that managing for overall conservation now requires additional attention, manpower and budget.”

Wildlife Services says adding the new collars is key to helping manage wolves until wolf hunting resumes this fall. The agency says the information is key to monitor how wolf populations are changing and wolves are dispersing across the region.

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