08/10/06 Wrong about wolves

Wrong About Wolves Finally a biologist admits there were errors made about wolf reintroduction. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll have some comments in one minute. Biologist Timm Kaminski told an audience at the AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park that there were wrong assumptions made about wolf behavior in the wolf reintroduction planning process in the 1980's. First, researchers assumed wolves would stay far in wilderness areas away from livestock. The next wrong belief was that wolves wouldn't eat livestock if there were abundant natural prey. Ranchers tried to tell these planners what would happen, but they were so intent on their agenda they just couldn't hear. Well, in the Yellowstone area, 20 of 27 wolf packs killed livestock in 2004, by 2005 32 packs killed livestock. Bill Donald, Montana Stockgrowers Association president, has had major wolf problems. Young calves have had their faces chewed off, intestines eaten out, and legs ripped by wolf packs. Biologists have tried relocating packs but they just return to their home areas or find new livestock to kill. Survivors from packs that have been thinned out teach other packs to kill livestock. Now wolf researchers want ranchers to keep their herds closer together and move them constantly during the summer so wolves won't find them in one location. Let's see, don't wolves follow wildlife herds wherever they go? Besides biologists have to know how far and fast wolves can travel if they want beef for dinner. I'm Jeff Keane. Western Livestock Reporter 7/12/06