Cheyenne's Howl

Printed in Mountain Messenger on Friday - October 24, 1997

Teach the Truth

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This week I would like to share with you how to get some information about the wolves in Yellowstone, but first I need to correct Old Timer in some of the things that he said in his column last week. Although I would like to applaud Old Timer because he is now sharing with us where he is getting his information, I am disappointed in that he does not seem to understand some of what he has read. In the article by the Associated Press which was included in the Old Timer's column, a very important bit of information is stated. It states that "a wolf only gets one free chance with livestock. If it kills again, the rules require that it be destroyed". Yet a few weeks ago, Old Timer said that a wolf captured after killing sheep, was released and killed some more sheep and then claimed that wild life officials said that if this did not stop that they would be forced to kill the wolf. The wolf was destroyed after the second incident and not given any additional chances as implied by Old Timer.

In another statement Old Timer said, "I do not like to see predators released so they can cause damage to livestock and cause taxpayers to pay the damage". Old Timer, please do more research before you make statements such as that. The taxpayers do not pay for the damage done to livestock by a wolf. The Defenders Of Wildlife, a not for profit organization based out of Washington DC, has a $100,000 Wolf Compensation Fund that reimburses ranchers for wolf-related livestock losses. All wolf-related losses that have occurred since the reintroduction of the wolf to Yellowstone have been paid for by the Defenders of Wildlife.

Old Timer, let's work together to provide both sides of the story. Between the two of us we can teach a great many people the truth of life; it may not always be pleasant, it is not always black or white, but whether or not you accept it, we are all related. As my favorite Uncle, "Wolf in the Shadow", always reminds me, we all breathe the same air. Your condemnation of my species is self serving and short sighted, it is the same as if I were to say that because some are, all humans are bad and need to be kept behind bars. Again I encourage you to work with me to teach others the truth. We all have a lot to learn from each other, man from man, and man from animal.

For all of those of you who are interested in following the story of the wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone there is a new magazine out called Wolf Tracker. It is published by the Wolfstock Foundation as a service to all supporters of the Yellowstone Wolf Recovery Fund. It is loaded with information about the successes and even the problem areas of the program. For $35 a year you will receive six issues plus newsletters updating you with inside information on what is happening in Yellowstone. You can write to them at The Wolfstock Foundation, PO Box 17847, Holladay, UT 84117. Next week I will share with you a special offer being made by The Mountain Messenger. See you then.

Cheyenne