A Letter
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Despite my 20
years of research and experience with wolves, I remain appalled at
humanity’s intolerance toward these animals. This mindset is supported
and perpetuated by those responsible for wolf management. Where I live,
this is Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP). The agency claims that
management and public wolf hunts are based in science.
However, my
published review of their information demonstrated that FWP did not use
scientific protocol to collect its data. Instead, it depended heavily
upon the subjective opinions and observations of the general public.
Consequently, it does not know the minimum number of wolves in Montana, a
major reference point used by wolf managers. The quotas proposed for
public wolf hunts are arbitrary, and management decisions in general
have not been based on facts. The claim that hunts are necessary because
of increased livestock depredation and the wolves’ threat to prey
populations, especially elk, are without merit. Statistics from the
Department of Agriculture, scientific research, and even FWP’s own data
show that none of this is true. A recent study by a graduate student in
Wyoming demonstrated that declining elk populations had little to do
with wolves. Instead, drought and grizzly bear predation were the main
factors.
In general, management agencies blatantly ignore what science knows about wolves. Wolves are managed without regard to their top-down influence throughout ecosystems, despite published scientific studies that have documented their role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. My research has shown that wolves can suffer from emotional disorders as a result of trauma inflicted from wolf management practices. One can only imagine the terrifying emotional and physical anguish of dying slowly in a leg trap or snare. The Fishtrap wolves I studied for 10 years demonstrated that wolf packs are in a process in which all members participate. Other studies have shown that these processes are linked in geographic regions to form networks. Such widespread social systems cannot be managed, at least in the traditional sense. During his 43 years of research in Alaska, the late Dr. Gordon Haber documented the destruction of wolf family groups and traditions because of management and hunting.
So far, there has been no accountability for the repercussions of management decisions, such as killing wolves without proper scientific assessment. When the state of Montana created revenue by killing its own wolves, hunting them became a self-serving process. Therefore, money and convenience are some of the reasons to hunt wolves, which implies conflict of interest. The actions of FWP bring up the moral issue of how a government agency can use flawed data to make management decisions, kill hundreds of wolves, and be allowed to do so. The solution is for people to educate themselves about these issues and to demand answers from management officials as to why wolf management lacks science. Simply ask, “Where are the data that justify your decisions?” Despite all the numbers, agendas, and arguing, there is still one certain truth: the pain we inflict upon all wildlife in the name of management is horrific and real.
Jay Mallonee
Kalispell
In general, management agencies blatantly ignore what science knows about wolves. Wolves are managed without regard to their top-down influence throughout ecosystems, despite published scientific studies that have documented their role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. My research has shown that wolves can suffer from emotional disorders as a result of trauma inflicted from wolf management practices. One can only imagine the terrifying emotional and physical anguish of dying slowly in a leg trap or snare. The Fishtrap wolves I studied for 10 years demonstrated that wolf packs are in a process in which all members participate. Other studies have shown that these processes are linked in geographic regions to form networks. Such widespread social systems cannot be managed, at least in the traditional sense. During his 43 years of research in Alaska, the late Dr. Gordon Haber documented the destruction of wolf family groups and traditions because of management and hunting.
So far, there has been no accountability for the repercussions of management decisions, such as killing wolves without proper scientific assessment. When the state of Montana created revenue by killing its own wolves, hunting them became a self-serving process. Therefore, money and convenience are some of the reasons to hunt wolves, which implies conflict of interest. The actions of FWP bring up the moral issue of how a government agency can use flawed data to make management decisions, kill hundreds of wolves, and be allowed to do so. The solution is for people to educate themselves about these issues and to demand answers from management officials as to why wolf management lacks science. Simply ask, “Where are the data that justify your decisions?” Despite all the numbers, agendas, and arguing, there is still one certain truth: the pain we inflict upon all wildlife in the name of management is horrific and real.
Jay Mallonee
Kalispell
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