I went to the last meeting in Olympia, but was not there in time to speak. However, I did give the Commissioners my intended testimony via hard copy and email.
In this post, I have included some key points and some of my thoughts that I think are important. If any of you go to the meeting in Ellensburg, feel free to use any of them.
I would also like to suggest all of you consider writing your representatives about this issue. The Washington Wolf Conservation and Management Plan is a state and federal issue, so they should be involved to represent you. Writing your representatives is very fast and easy (
http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml). It works, your message gets through, and your letters/emails do make a difference.
Here is the web site for details of the FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING on August 29, 2011 (
http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2011/08/agenda_aug2911.html).
The meeting opens to the public at 9:00AM at:
Quality Inn and Conference Center
1700 Canyon Road
Ellensburg, Washington 98926
It will adjourn at 4:00PM
It looks like public input will be allowed starting 1:00PM or shortly thereafter depending on when the commissioners have finished their discussion on the wolf topic. However, it might be a good idea to show up before lunch just in case they finish their discussion early.
These are the key points and some of my thoughts I intend to send to the Commissioners (COMMISSION@dfw.wa.gov) since I can’t attend the meeting:
• Wolves are large predators and are extremely vicious in their attacks; they can weigh up to 145 pounds.
• 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 protected, a large percentage of them may 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. People should not fear unjustified prosecution by local or federal government agencies by taking prudent and reasonable actions to protect themselves, their families, other people, or their property from attack by marauding and vicious predators such as wolves.
• The number of wolves in a pack can be as high as 30 to 40 animals.
• Wolves’ impact on elk, deer, and other ungulate populations can be devastating as illustrated by the 70% drop of the northern elk herd population in Yellowstone National Park after the start of wolf restoration in that area. 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 can be as high as 36 elk per year per wolf. Human hunters are allowed one; that is controllable game management. Wolves can kill as many elk, deer, and other animals as they want to.
• Wolves will not stay in the areas in which they are transplanted or allowed to freely expand; 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.
• Wolves are driven to attack by opportunity, instinct, and hunger.
• Wolves can and do attack people, domestic animals, and livestock. I have only listed 3 examples to illustrate the true nature of wolves.
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.
• Decisions regarding the Washington Wolf Conservation and Management Plan should be based on sound science and a thorough understanding of the impact and dangers of allowing packs of large vicious predators to expand and roam freely throughout our state. Question: What action would be taken if a pack of domestic dogs were found to be running wild and were attacking and killing elk and deer?
• The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/) has had a lot of experience in dealing with wolves and has predator control programs in place. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission would be very remiss by not taking advantage of their knowledge and experience. I am sure the citizen workgroup has worked very hard to come up with their opinion/recommendation, but I must ask, “What makes them qualified to develop such a plan?” A plan such as this should be patterned after those that have had the most experience in these matters. All emotion should be removed from this process. Classify and manage wolves for what they are; they are large predators that require management and control. Management and control should include hunting them to manage their numbers and to prevent them from becoming habituated to people and populated areas. Immediately terminate those wolves that threaten, attack, or kill people, domestic animals, or livestock. Allow citizens to terminate wolves that threaten them, their families, other people, their domestic animals, or livestock without fear of prosecution.
