I attended the last part of the meeting today, but did not arrive in time to speak. I was able to give my written testimony to the Commission after the meeting was adjourned. I will also send this to them via email to ensure it is in their system. Also see bearpaw’s post (Please do This!!! (for the future of hunting in Washington)) that asks for communication to the Commission and provides useful information to do so
The following is what I gave them:
Comments: WDFW – Wolf Conservation and Management Plan
• Wolves are large predators and are extremely vicious in their attacks. They are not cute puppy dogs.
• Wolves can weigh up to 145 pounds and typically hunt together in packs numbering as large as 37. This pack behavior is unlike other large predators such as bear and cougar.
• Wolves may have a significant negative impact on our elk, deer, and moose populations as illustrated by the 70% drop of the northern elk herd in Yellowstone National Park after the start of wolf restoration in that area.
• Wolves will not stay in the areas in which they are transplanted; they will breed, multiply, and expand wherever there is food for them to eat. A wolf’s range may extend up to 1,000 square-miles. Dispersing wolves have traveled as far as 600 miles. Game management officials cannot tell wolves where they can or cannot be.
• Game management officials cannot tell wolves what their food source will be or how much of that food source they may have. How many elk will one wolf kill in a year? I have read that the number is about 36 elk per year per wolf. Human hunters are allowed one; that is controllable game management. Wolves can kill as many elk, deer, and moose as they want to.
• Wolves become habituated when they are protected from harm by people. This means they lose their fear and natural avoidance of people. Wolves that are habituated will be the ones likely to act aggressively toward humans. Since wolves are overly protected, they may all tend to become habituated. They can become dangerous and threatening nuisances if appropriate predator controls are not enacted in the Washington Wolf Conservation and Management Plan.
• Wolves are driven to attack by opportunity, instinct, and hunger.
• Wolves can and do attack people, domestic animals, and livestock.
o 2010 – Alaska: 32-year-old special education school teacher, Candice Berner, was fatally mauled by wolves while jogging.
o 2007 – Canada: A family with three small children was attacked by wolves while tobogganing; their dog fended off the attack until they could get to the safety of their vehicle.
o 2005 – Canada: Ontario engineering student, Kenton Carnegie, was killed by a pack of wolves.
• People must understand that wolves are large vicious predators. Please don’t let your emotions make them into something they are not.
• I would highly recommend contacting and working with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in the development of the Washington Wolf Conservation and Management Plan. They have been dealing with wolves for a long time.
Supporting information:
Article: Alaska - Chignik Lake – 2010 - MSNBC: Fatal wolf attack unnerves Alaska village
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35913715/ns/us_news-life/t/fatal-wolf-attack-unnerves-alaska-village/• 32-year-old special education school teacher, Candice Berner, was fatally mauled by wolves.
• Fish and Game biologist said, "Wolves will take advantage of any opportunity they are presented with," "They do come into towns frequently, and we hear about sightings of wolves in communities throughout this area each winter."
Article: Canada - 2007 - The Vancouver Province: Dog saves family from wolf attack
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=44d94f6e-11cd-46b6-84c4-3f48d8df838b• A family with three small children was attacked by wolves while tobogganing; their dog fended off the attack until they could get to the safety of their vehicle.
• Earlier in the month, wolves were reported to have attacked dogs in three separate incidents in Prince Rupert.
• A pack of wolves were also reported to have attacked three women and their dogs in Alaska last week.
Article: Canada – 2007 – CanWest News Service - Student killed by wolves in 2005
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=c0afa479-ebe8-45f6-8e54-166cbdf9af0d&k=8065• A coroner's inquest has found that Ontario engineering student, Kenton Carnegie, was killed by a pack of wolves in northern Saskatchewan in 2005 per coroner’s inquest.
• Kenton’s father said he hopes people will give up any notion that wolves are cute and cuddly wildlife.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game:
• Staying Safe in Wolf Country Brochure - Habituation: Animals gradually lose their naturally lose their natural avoidance of people when they are protected from harm by people, or where humans act passively towards them. It is very important to understand that these “habituated” wolves are actually the ones most likely to suddenly act aggressively.
• Wolf Safety in Alaska – 2008 – Aggression During Human-Wolf Encounters – In Alaska and Canada: Between 1900 and 1969 there was only 1 case of unprovoked wolf aggression documented. Between 1969 and 2000 there have were 18 cases of unprovoked aggression toward people. Since 2000, there have been several more cases of injuries inflicted by wild wolves on people. In 2005, a young man in Saskatchewan was killed by wolves. Most of the recent cases of wolf aggression occurred where wolves were protected.
• Alaska has implemented wolf predator control programs.
I would highly recommend contacting and working with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in the development of the Washington Wolf Management and Conservation Plan.
Other sources:
USFWS -
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/aboutwolves/wolfbiology.htm
