splattski wrote:Gray wolves were in Idaho when Lewis and Clark passed through. They just weren't from Canada, as far as we know.
You are correct. There were gray wolves. But there are over 20 different species of gray wolves. The breed that Lewis and Clark described was the Rocky Mountain Gray Wolf, which is now extremely endangered and some believe that it is extinct. The difference is that the Canadian Gray Wolf is a very large and very aggressive breed, whereas the Rocky Mountain Gray was an average sized wolf.
builttospill wrote:The Fish and Game folks have a similar incentive. Bureaucracies, in general, want more authority, and certainly the wildlife officials I've talked to at the state level want to manage wolves themselves--whatever their motives are, they want the responsibility.
Well, I'm all for your argument in most cases, but it seems a little cynical for this specific instance. The men that I know who work for the Fish and Game are wildlife enthusiasts who are trying to preserve nature for future generations, not corrupt bureaucrats who seek authority and power wherever they can find it.
The reason that these studies are not published is that the Fish and Game never releases these type of stats immediately. It can take years for studies to be entirely conclusive, so they do not report on them until they are certain that they are not year to year fluctuation. The only thing that they consistently report are the numbers.
Either way, I knew I shouldn't comment on this. For some reason people will defend gray wolves to the death. Beats me. I just happen to have different opinions on our responsibilities as stewards of this earth.