Submitted by Rocky Barker
Here is the official response to my inquiry to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services about the infamous wolf killer plane. This came from Carol A. Bannerman, a USDA public affairs specialist in Maryland.
“The photos mentioned were taken about five years ago. The pilot and crew are Wildlife Services employees, operating in a leased fixed wing aircraft. At the time, Wildlife Services local management did approve the stickers being placed on the planes. Government funds were not used to purchase them. In 2009, the manager that had originally approved the use of the stickers recognized that they could be considered offensive by some individuals and directed that they be removed.
The stickers did represent wolves lethally removed for confirmed depredation on livestock or livestock protection dogs, with permission from the wolf management agency, either Federal or State (it is now the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, but in the past the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was the lead agency).
We apologize to anyone that may have been offended by the use of these stickers. Wildlife Services continues its mission to resolve conflicts between human and wildlife and to help create a balance that allows coexistence with reduced damage.
You didn’t ask for additional background, but I feel that it’s important to provide some context:
Since the reintroduction of wolves, Wildlife Services in Idaho has conducted 1,400 investigations of wolf depredation. Of these, 61% confirmed wolf depredation on livestock or guard dogs, with 13% found to be probable wolf depredation. For example, in FY09, the 88 confirmed depredations meant that 430 livestock and 16 guard dogs were killed by wolves, with 27 livestock and 8 dogs injured. In FY09, WS lethally removed 107 wolves and collared-and-released 12 wolves. We can certainly get you more information about depredations and Wildlife Services if you’d like it.
The Program Data Report (PDR) on the Wildlife Services website does show that in FY2009, Wildlife Services in nine states managed damage related to wolves: 480 wolves were euthanized/killed, 39 were freed/relocated, and 63 were dispersed from areas where damage was occurring.
The FY10 report is also at the same website, showing damage management in seven states, including 452 wolves were euthanized/killed, 62 were freed/relocated, and 1 was dispersed from areas where damage was occurring.
Source