Wolf Management in Montana
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Editor,
This is in response to your recent cover story titled “Overprotected” about relisting of wolves in the Northern Rockies. I work in agriculture and know the financial and emotional strain predators place on our farms and ranches. However, your article is obviously biased towards the persecution of wolves in our area. Not everyone who works in agriculture shares your views and as a news source, you and your editor should provide a balanced report on sensitive issues. You failed to provide any response from the wildlife conservation community and instead loaded your article with opinions and skewed data. Your readers might be interested to know that a study published this year by the USDA on sheep and lamb losses in Montana states in 2008, losses were higher from bears, coyotes, foxes, eagles, and domestic dogs than from wolves. In fact, wolves killed 300 lambs compared to 8,300 due to coyotes. Eagles alone killed 900 lambs. Total non-predator losses such as from illness amounted to 29,200 or over 50 times greater than losses from wolves. The table you included appears both inaccurate and unreferenced. Wolves are still managed by the US Fish and Wildlife service as was the case a few years ago which includes the relocation, hazing, and killing of wolves that prey or harass livestock. Also, there are funds available from the USDA to assist with the cost of predator conflict mitigation and non-profit groups that offer compensation for livestock losses in addition to the state funds you mentioned. There is no compensation when a coyote, dog, or eagle kills livestock. Let’s provide some perspective and understand the risk in any enterprise whether it is ranching or otherwise. Respect nature, manage wildlife populations that impede our livelihoods, and keep the guns, fear, and anger at bay. I fully agree that management of wolves is vital to both the long term health of our livestock industry and the survival of the species. As a news source, I urge you to seek other opinions and unbiased data so we can all better understand the issues that face us. Otherwise, your paper should state clearly on articles such as these that is an editorial.
Andrew Malucelli
Arlee
