#Wolf Weekly Wrap-Up by @Defenders of Wildlife

22 January 2016

Posted by: Melanie Gade and Catalina Tresky

NM Fish and Game’s War on Wolves Continues

For 17 years, media giant-turned-wildlife philanthropist, Ted Turner, has shared his New Mexico property with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to aid in Mexican gray wolf recovery efforts. But, last week, New Mexico Game and Fish Commission denied Turner’s Ladder Ranch the opportunity to maintain an active role in Mexican gray wolf recovery by refusing the ranch’s appeal for a permit to hold Mexican gray wolves there. For years, Turner has provided large, fenced holding pens for Mexican gray wolves en route to or from the wild on this property. It was our hope that the commission would heed the best available science and listen to the wishes of local communities that overwhelmingly support wolf restoration. Instead, by denying Turner’s appeal, the commission jeopardized the continued recovery of New Mexico’s lobos. But rest assured, the commission’s decision will not deter us. No matter what, we are going to keep howling for wolves!

 

Living with Wolves

Conflicts between people and wildlife pose a serious challenge to conservation. Too often, the response to a conflict is to kill the wildlife, an approach that can threaten the survival and recovery of species and does nothing to keep other wildlife from moving in and repeating the behavior. Working with ranchers, Defenders has pioneered many practical solutions to help livestock and wolves coexist by using effective nonlethal deterrents like fladry, range riders, electric fencing and livestock guardian dogs to help protect livestock and build social acceptance for wolves. And, our recently updated publication “Livestock and Wolves” shares these stories and best practices. It covers nonlethal tools, methods and strategies that work, and offers real-life examples of successful solutions devised by livestock producers, agency managers and researchers working together.

 

California Wolf Country

 
On Thursday, the first of a series of public meetings on California’s draft wolf recovery plan took place, and we were there to be a part of it. The state is fast becoming a leader when it comes to wolf recovery in the West. After OR-7 became the first known wolf in the state after nearly 90 years, California protected wolves under the state’s Endangered Species Act. And 83 percent of California voters believe that wolves should be protected and are a vital part of America’s wilderness and natural heritage. Defenders is looking forward to engaging all of the diverse participants – private landowners, representatives of the state’s wildlife department, local community members, conservationists – in productive dialogue to make wolf recovery in the Golden is a success for all.

Melanie Gade, Communications Specialist

Melanie handles press coverage for wildlife in the Pacific Northwest and Rockies and Plains, as well as Defenders' national work on the Endangered Species Act.

Catalina Tresky, Communications Associate

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