Agency permitted private landowners to shoot endangered red wolves
Southern Environmental Law Center says the shooting permits violated federal law
Red Wolf Recovery Program numbers have fallen to between 50 and 75
Southern Environmental Law Center says the shooting permits violated federal law
Red Wolf Recovery Program numbers have fallen to between 50 and 75
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the Endangered Species
Act twice in the past two years when it gave private landowners
permission to kill endangered red wolves near the Alligator River
National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern North Carolina,
conservationists said Tuesday in a letter to the agency.
The Southern Environmental Law Center, representing three wildlife conservation groups, filed notice of its intent to sue the agency in federal court. In a 13-page letter, the attorneys said Fish and Wildlife officials allowed wolves to be killed on private land without first making an effort, required by law, to trap them alive.
“Red wolves are endangered because they need protection and effective management to thrive,” Jason Rylander, an attorney for Defenders of Wildlife, said in a news release. “Allowing the killing of a breeding female wolf is the exact opposite of managing red wolves for recovery.”
Fish and Wildlife has struggled to manage the only existing wild population of red wolves, whose numbers have plunged in recent years from a peak of around 130 in 2006 to an estimated 50 to 75 animals this summer. Nearly two dozen wolves have died from gunshot in recent years, and biologists have counted fewer pups born each year – 19 last year, down from 30 to 50 in previous years.
In June the agency said it would stop reintroducing wolves into the wild and will decide by the end of the year whether to improve or abandon its 28-year-old Red Wolf Recovery Program in five counties on the Albemarle Peninsula. The effort has been marked by years of conflict between Fish and Wildlife and private landowners, and hostile relations with hunters and the state Wildlife Resources Commission. Conservationists have said that the agency is failing to meet its responsibility to protect the endangered wolves.
Fish and Wildlife officials said in June they had allowed the killing of a female wolf after the landowner attempted to trap the animal. The landowner would not allow federal biologists onto the property, the agency said.
“We’re comfortable we have the authority to take these management actions,” Tom MacKenzie, a Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman, said Tuesday.
Tara Zuardo, an attorney with the Animal Welfare Institute, said federal officials should have tried to save the animal.
“There is no evidence that this wolf was causing any harm,” Zuardo said in a news release. “At this point, there appears to be no difference between being able to kill a coyote or a red wolf – just which agency you request a permit from.”
source
Three advocacy groups said Tuesday they intend to sue the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service for failing to protect the endangered red wolf in
North Carolina.
Twice since last year, the agency gave permission to private landowners to kill wolves on their land. One landowner shot a mother wolf in June.
The wolves run wild only on North Carolina’s Albemarle Peninsula. Their numbers have dropped quickly in the past three years as gunshot deaths mounted.
Fish and Wildlife had estimated their numbers at 50 to 75 this summer, down from 100 last year. The agency now says it is not confident of those numbers and does not know whether the population has dropped.
Advocates quote the agency as reporting that 23 of 58 wolf deaths since 2012 were due to gunshots.
The federal agency said in June it will suspend new releases of wolves in North Carolina as it assesses “the feasibility of recovery for the species.”
North Carolina’s Wildlife Resources Commission has urged the federal agency to end the program in North Carolina, which began in 1987.
The advocates’ notice gives the agency 60 days to remedy the problems or face a lawsuit. It was filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of the North Carolina-based Red Wolf Coalition, Defenders of Wildlife and the Animal Welfare Institute.
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must rededicate itself to ensuring the survival of America’s rarest wolf and restore the former successful recovery of this endangered species,” law center attorney Sierra Weaver said in a statement.
In a June news release, the agency said an unidentified landowner had previously won permission to trap two wolves on his property, one of which died in the trap. When wolves continue to be seen, the agency allowed the landowner to legally kill a wolf.
“We’re comfortable that we have the authority to take these management actions,” Fish and Wildlife spokesman Tom MacKenzie said.
The advocates, however, say the agency cited no “problem” or “offending” behavior by the wolf as is required before it was allowed to be killed.
The advocates also say Fish and Wildlife has failed to conduct a status review of the species every five years, as required. The most recent review was done in 2007.
source
The Southern Environmental Law Center, representing three wildlife conservation groups, filed notice of its intent to sue the agency in federal court. In a 13-page letter, the attorneys said Fish and Wildlife officials allowed wolves to be killed on private land without first making an effort, required by law, to trap them alive.
“Red wolves are endangered because they need protection and effective management to thrive,” Jason Rylander, an attorney for Defenders of Wildlife, said in a news release. “Allowing the killing of a breeding female wolf is the exact opposite of managing red wolves for recovery.”
Fish and Wildlife has struggled to manage the only existing wild population of red wolves, whose numbers have plunged in recent years from a peak of around 130 in 2006 to an estimated 50 to 75 animals this summer. Nearly two dozen wolves have died from gunshot in recent years, and biologists have counted fewer pups born each year – 19 last year, down from 30 to 50 in previous years.
In June the agency said it would stop reintroducing wolves into the wild and will decide by the end of the year whether to improve or abandon its 28-year-old Red Wolf Recovery Program in five counties on the Albemarle Peninsula. The effort has been marked by years of conflict between Fish and Wildlife and private landowners, and hostile relations with hunters and the state Wildlife Resources Commission. Conservationists have said that the agency is failing to meet its responsibility to protect the endangered wolves.
Fish and Wildlife officials said in June they had allowed the killing of a female wolf after the landowner attempted to trap the animal. The landowner would not allow federal biologists onto the property, the agency said.
“We’re comfortable we have the authority to take these management actions,” Tom MacKenzie, a Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman, said Tuesday.
Tara Zuardo, an attorney with the Animal Welfare Institute, said federal officials should have tried to save the animal.
“There is no evidence that this wolf was causing any harm,” Zuardo said in a news release. “At this point, there appears to be no difference between being able to kill a coyote or a red wolf – just which agency you request a permit from.”
source
***
September 1, 2015
Advocates plan to sue over red wolf losses
Federal agency failed to protect species, advocates say
N.C. wolf numbers have fallen in recent years
Federal agency assessing ‘feasibility of recovery’ of species
N.C. wolf numbers have fallen in recent years
Federal agency assessing ‘feasibility of recovery’ of species
A male red wolf at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham.
Gerry Broome
AP
Twice since last year, the agency gave permission to private landowners to kill wolves on their land. One landowner shot a mother wolf in June.
The wolves run wild only on North Carolina’s Albemarle Peninsula. Their numbers have dropped quickly in the past three years as gunshot deaths mounted.
Fish and Wildlife had estimated their numbers at 50 to 75 this summer, down from 100 last year. The agency now says it is not confident of those numbers and does not know whether the population has dropped.
Advocates quote the agency as reporting that 23 of 58 wolf deaths since 2012 were due to gunshots.
The federal agency said in June it will suspend new releases of wolves in North Carolina as it assesses “the feasibility of recovery for the species.”
North Carolina’s Wildlife Resources Commission has urged the federal agency to end the program in North Carolina, which began in 1987.
The advocates’ notice gives the agency 60 days to remedy the problems or face a lawsuit. It was filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of the North Carolina-based Red Wolf Coalition, Defenders of Wildlife and the Animal Welfare Institute.
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must rededicate itself to ensuring the survival of America’s rarest wolf and restore the former successful recovery of this endangered species,” law center attorney Sierra Weaver said in a statement.
In a June news release, the agency said an unidentified landowner had previously won permission to trap two wolves on his property, one of which died in the trap. When wolves continue to be seen, the agency allowed the landowner to legally kill a wolf.
“We’re comfortable that we have the authority to take these management actions,” Fish and Wildlife spokesman Tom MacKenzie said.
The advocates, however, say the agency cited no “problem” or “offending” behavior by the wolf as is required before it was allowed to be killed.
The advocates also say Fish and Wildlife has failed to conduct a status review of the species every five years, as required. The most recent review was done in 2007.
source
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