Wolf Spotted in Grand Canyon National Park

Nick

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WOW!!

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2014/wolf-10-30-2014.html

For Immediate Release, October 30, 2014

Contact: Michael Robinson, Center for Biological Diversity, (575) 313-7017
Kim Crumbo, Grand Canyon Wildlands Council, (928) 606-5850
Drew Kerr, WildEarth Guardians, (312) 375-6104
Gray Wolf Spotted in Grand Canyon National Park for First Time in Over 70 Years

Wandering Wolf Would Lose Protections Under Federal Plan

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz.— For the first time since the 1940s, a gray wolf is roaming the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The wolf, which is wearing an inactive radio collar, is likely a gray wolf that dispersed from the northern Rocky Mountains. The intrepid wolf is currently fully protected under the Endangered Species Act, which prohibits killing, wounding or harassing the animal and provides other protections. However, those protections could be stripped under the Obama administration’s proposed plan to remove wolves from the list of protected species.

“I'm absolutely thrilled that a wolf managed to travel so far to reclaim the Grand Canyon as a home for wolves,” said Michael Robinson, a wolf advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. “This wolf's journey starkly highlights the fact that wolf recovery is still in its infancy and that these important and magnificent animals continue to need Endangered Species Act protections.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service repeatedly sought to remove endangered species protections for wolves. The latest proposal, which the agency scheduled to be finalized late this year, would eliminate protections for the Grand Canyon wolf and likely erase any chance it will be joined by a potential mate from the north.

“In the early 1900s over 30 wolves on the North Kaibab, including Grand Canyon National Park, were killed by government hunters,” said Kim Crumbo, conservation director for Grand Canyon Wildlands Council. “The possibility that a determined wolf could make it to the Canyon region is cause for celebration, and we must insist that every effort be taken to protect this brave wanderer.”

“Wolves like this one at the Grand Canyon and OR-7 demonstrate that, when protected, wolves will naturally recolonize their native habitats, restoring balance to wounded landscapes,” said Drew Kerr, carnivore advocate with WildEarth Guardians. “Without Endangered Species Act protections, however, wolves will likely be relegated to a few National Parks in a tiny portion of their historic range.”

Background
Wolves have returned to less than 10 percent of their historic range in the lower 48 states. Scientists identified the Grand Canyon ecosystem as one of three in the Southwest, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area where Mexican gray wolves now roam and the southern Rocky Mountains, capable of supporting a robust and ecologically viable wolf population. Such populations, linked to each other through wolves’ famous propensity to wander, would help avoid extinction and ensure the species’ recovery.

In other regions, including the Pacific Northwest, wolves that dispersed from their natal packs have successfully found new homes and established new populations. Wolves face intense hostility and persecution in many areas, which would likely increase without legal protections.

The biological phenomenon called a trophic cascade describes benefits that flow through an ecosystem because of an apex carnivore’s return. Wolves cause deer and elk herds to move more naturally, preventing overgrazing of streamside habitats. This permits the reestablishment of shade trees and bushes, like native aspen, cottonwood and willow, providing improved habitat for fish, beavers and songbirds. Even other large carnivores, like grizzly bears, benefit from the wolves’ return.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 800,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

Grand Canyon Wildlands Council works to protect and restore wild nature in the Grand Canyon Ecoregion

WildEarth Guardians is a non-profit organization working to protect and restore the wildlife, wild places, wild rivers and health of the American West.
 
Up here in Idaho we have more wolves than we know what to do with. I thought that they were already off of the endangered species list as we have a hunting season for them in Idaho? I believe that it is up to the state fish and game agency (Arizona in this case)to make any decision on hunting season and quota limits. I think that it is great that wolves are expanding there range but I also think they should be managed as any other big game animal. BALANCE is key.... Just my opinion...
 
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BALANCE is key.... Just my opinion...
I have to agree. As long as humans are in the equation, there is never going to be anything close to a natural ecosystem with regards to wolves or, for that matter, grizzles and a whole lot of other species. We will be managing them with some method, like it or not.

No shortage of gray wolves here either.
 
"Managing" them is why they were driven to near extinction in the first place. Let them feed off of cattle, sheep, elk, deer, cats, goats, dogs, parakeets etc. Ranchers living off of government subsidies and grazing their animals on our (the peoples) land, destroying habitat, I have no sympathy for. Having said that I think the feds should reimburse ranchers for their loss. Humans threw it out of balance. Let these predators do what they do (keeping things in balance), and nature will find a way to even things out. It always does.
 
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Killing to near extinction is not management. Humans did a lot of that before anyone worried about ecosystem balance. Controlled hunting to keep certain numbers based on good studies is management. Not all grazing on public land has ruined the land. Some ranchers/public managers are pretty good at good management.
 
Why do WE have to manage them again? Seems like they were doing pretty good before WE showed up. WE can't even manage WE.
 
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Eradication and management have two very different meanings...Up here in Idaho we have four to five times (600 to 750 animals) of the minimum 150 wolves that was set up in the federal wolf reintroduction plan. So I would say that management is working in the wolves favor here in Idaho. As an avid hunter I feel that a balance is needed. It's the elk herds of central Idaho that have been paying the price. As stated in other comments sheep and cattle ranchers are subsidized for the losses, but for small towns and outfitters that rely on the influx of hunters there are no subsides. Living in small town myself the population of Malad probably doubles for the opening week of deer season. Hunters add a ton of money to the local economy. Gas stations, sporting goods store, restaurants and last but not least bar/Lounges all benefit from hunters. Don't get me wrong I am glad to see wolves in me back yard but In my opinion management is key. I do realize that there a hundred different opinions on this matter and this is just mine....
 
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"Managing" them is why they were driven to near extinction in the first place. Let them feed off of cattle, sheep, elk, deer, cats, goats, dogs, parakeets etc. Ranchers living off of government subsidies and grazing their animals on our (the peoples) land, destroying habitat, I have no sympathy for. Having said that I think the feds should reimburse ranchers for their loss. Humans threw it out of balance. Let these predators do what they do (keeping things in balance), and nature will find a way to even things out. It always does.

watts, you do disservice disparaging ranchers in general. For the record, only about 20.4% of ranches hold BLM or FS grazing permits. The other 80% of us have to not only compete in the same market place as those permit holders but if you happen to own property next to one of those allotments, all the problems that arise are your problems. Such as replacing miles of fence when allotment bulls decide your bulls should be elsewhere or limiting one's grazing options on your own property for the sake of the allotment. The private owner is totally responsible to keep permit critters out of their property.

We battled allotment cattle for 50 years until we decided to exit the cattle market. That opened a few more options dealing with the neighboring allotment, including just giving those cattle unfettered access to green alfalfa and a couple of county roads a mile apart. Not long after, that allotment was canceled.

The solution to this problem lies completely with the rates charged for grazing. The current Federal rate is $1.35/AUM (animal unit month). If this was raised anyplace close to the approximately $13.00/AUM charged for private land, not only would a lot of the problems go away, the BLM/FS might actually have enough money to properly manage to remaining allotments-something that absolutely doesn't happen at the present time.

We don't need anymore Cliven Bundy's. Please consider this before sigging the wolves on my canine friends.
 
I have to say as a city girl this conversation has been extremely eye opening. Land use issues have so many layers and complications. I appreciate everyone's unique perspective, hope the dialogue can continue.
 
A couple of quick points.
Read my post.
I never said "all" ranchers live off of government subsidies. I did not dis anyone "in general", I think my dis was pretty specific in that regard.
John, I loved the images and words in your other post, you take care of and value the place you live.
Others don't, and that's the problem.

I look at cows 6 months a year here in Carbondale. 100 yards from my house. They smell, Their noisy. Their covered in shit. Their stupid. They require fences everywhere (and they are everywhere), to keep them out of private property. I think I am right that it is my responsibility to keep the cows off my land. Not the other way around. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Having said that, the cows and I have reached an understanding, or maybe it is I who have reached the understanding. It took about 15 years but now they don't bother me so much. When we eat meat and produce it is usually raised here in the Roaring Fork Valley. We support our local ranchers. Not sure they would like wolves around though. But they sure seem to have fun shooting coyotes.

Caught this one 50 feet from our deck:

I0000M5ZW.TwkcR4.jpg


Back to the original thread, I would be stoked to have a wolf pack or 2 roaming around. I would need to change my lifestyle a bit maybe, but I feel that would be good. I have lost plenty of pets (mostly cats). But if someone paid me each time I lost one that would have taken the edge off my grief somewhat.
I like having coyotes around, the howling is haunting at night. They remind me that they are in charge right now.

Again, John, I did not dis you. I dissed freeloaders who trash the land.
Normalizing the ecosystem and bring things closer to balance would be be beneficial to everyone.
And Bob, your caveats of "Not all grazing" and "Some ranchers/public managers" makes my point, entirely.

Greg
 
I think I am right that it is my responsibility to keep the cows off my land. Not the other way around. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Usually but it depends on state and local grazing district regs. That is the same as for our place. And cattle can indeed appear stupid, but they are a whole lot smarter than you think. Sheep? Now there's stupid.

Maybe I'm an anomaly, but I don't mind coyotes either. They are off limits to hunters on my place and I think they do far more good than harm. True, they get a few fawns (watched that happen a couple of times) and elk calves, and in the past, occasionally they even got one of our beef calves. But they eat sufficient ground squirrels, marmots, rabbits, and other rodents to more than justify their being here. They have never bothered our dogs and, in fact, I saw my father's german shepard/aussie cross sitting side by side with one once.

To date, we have only observed a single wolf on the place and so far no problems. Will it remain that way? Maybe, maybe not but with the current hunting allowed, the population appears to be somewhat stable-and managed. Elk numbers in the Bridger's continue to increase.
 
Makes me sick. But if she migrated to the Grand Canyon, hopefully others will follow her trail.
 
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