Oregon Wolves Part One
They are here again, in my opinion they shouldn't be, but they are, so, now we inherit the problems they bring. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back to tell you who "they" are.
Before the break I told you "they" are back. "They" are wolves. Ranchers didn't need them, but we didn't have much to say about the glorious reintroduction of wolves across the western states. Environmentalists and wolf lovers lobbied hard and long to get wolves back into the western wildlife ecosystem. One little thing was wrong with the plan - the wildlife ecosystem wasn't the same as it was when millions of buffalo roamed the plains and the wolves were in balance with them. Wolves were turned loose to feed on elk and deer herds with the silly idea they would only kill what they needed and wouldn't bother domestic livestock. But, just in case wolves might get in trouble they were protected under the Endangered Species Act. In Oregon they came, they saw, and they killed. An article by Mitch Lies in Capital Press newspaper relates how wolves came within 200 yards of a ranch house and killed 19 lambs in two nights. Were they actually wolf kills? Yes, state and federal wildlife officials set up cameras that captured the two wolves killing two lambs. Let's see, 19 lambs in two nights I think that is just a touch more than the wolves need to survive. What happens to these naughty wolves now? Well, I'll give you some of the bureaucratic options tomorrow and maybe a few others. I'm Jeff Keane.
