Cheyenne's Howl

Printed in Mountain Messenger on Friday - February 20, 1998

Court Ruling on Yellowstone Wolves

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On March 21, 1995, the Park Service began to release fourteen of my cousins from their acclimation pens into the wilds of Yellowstone Park. Once again they were free to live the lives that they were meant to live, or at least so they thought. At the request of the Farm Bureau, on December 12, 1997, Judge William Downs of the U.S. District Court in Cheyenne, Wyoming, ruled that the "reintroduced nonnative wolves and their offspring" must be removed from the reintroduction areas in Yellowstone and central Idaho. This now involves over 150 wolves and should the ruling be upheld, the government would be required to slaughter these cousins of mine. The order has been stayed pending the expected appeal.

The ruling is based on a technical interpretation of definitions of species. Hank Fischer, author of "Wolf Wars" and the Defenders of Wildlife northern Rockies representative stated, "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service based its definitions of wolf populations on information provided by leading scientists. The reintroduction was the culmination of two decades of work and extensive public hearings. This is one of the nation's greatest conservation achievements and we won't see it undone."

As expected, the Defenders of Wildlife and also the National Wildlife Federation, on December 30,1997, appealed the December 12 court decision. In a statement by Defenders President Rodger Schlickeisen, he said, "The Farm Bureau has opposed this wildly popular and successful reintroduction program since it began. It seems to take perverse pleasure in being responsible for dooming to death more than 150 wolves." He added, "The reintroduction program has been a roaring success. Through subsequent releases and litters of pups, the 66 wolves brought from Canada into Yellowstone and central Idaho have more than doubled their numbers, tourism has blossomed, and the park is reaping tremendous ecological benefits." I too would like to point out that one of the greatest things that has happened, is that there hasn't been any economic losses, because if you remember from past columns, the Defenders of Wildlife has compensated ranchers for the relatively infrequent losses of livestock that has been proven to be done by wolves.

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, Colorado will decide the case. Everyone involved is prepared for a long legal battle to defend the wolf reintroduction program. In fact Defenders has stated that they will take it to the Supreme Court if necessary. The attorney representing the conservationists is Brian O'Neill. You may remember him as the lead plaintiffs' council from the successful historic civil suit that was brought against the Exxon Corporation over the Exxon Valdez incident. He is also the chair of Defenders of Wildlife Board Litigation Committee and has a special interest in any issue that involves threatened wildlife.

I have met many ranchers in my short 21 months of life on Mother Earth. Not one, I repeat, not one has had anything to say against reintroduction. Farm Bureau, perhaps you ought to take note.

Cheyenne