12/27/07 Wolves, wolves, everywhere

Wild animals can sometimes become a total nuisance. One has based that passed that point and has became a danger to domestic livestock and humans. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back to tell you about that animal. Yesterday I told you about groups of wildlife lovers who have little or no regard for anyone or anything as long as their favorite wild animals are flourishing. These organizations were instrumental in getting wolves reintroduced into Idaho, Montana and Wyoming in 1995. Later in 1998 the Mexican gray wolf recovery program released wolves into Arizona and New Mexico. With each wolf reintroduction, many financial donors went to bed thinking beautiful thoughts how they helped return harmony to nature and longed for the day to hear a wolf howl in the wild. Totally protected, the wolves prospered and expanded into areas with domestic livestock and people. For one New Mexico eight-year-old, Stacy Miller, a good night's sleep is not so easy after a wolf pack attacked the family dog as it accompanied her to the barn and two months later killed her favorite horse right in the barnyard. In the same area, 14 year old, J.C. Nelson was surrounded and harassed by wolves while hunting elk. John Faulkner of Idaho has lost about 100 lambs, 30 ewes and three guard dogs this year. Many outfitters have gone out of business since wolves have reduced elk herds. The list of problems goes on and on. If they only knew the havoc their wolves have caused, I wonder how many wolf lovers would still sleep well at night. I'm Jeff Keane. Range  summer 2007 Western Farmer Stockman December 2007