Most of us are old enough to remember what it sounds like when the needle on your record player reaches the end of the album, a repetitive sound that signals the end without the anticipation of a new beginning. Wolf recovery is stuck in this cycle. The grazing season started in 2020, without change, without hope for a new, more enlightened beginning.
We once again have livestock grazing our public lands in recovering gray wolf territory. Once again, contact and conflict are inevitable. When will we learn that it is our responsibility to change and adapt our human practices to recovering ecosystems? It is up to us to lift the needle, turn the record over, and listen to the B side.
Wolves from the Togo Pack injured killed or injured 7 livestock in the past 12 months. On June 19, 2020, WDFW reauthorized a kill order for this pack that was originally authorized on August 9, 2019. The kill order allowed for the taking of two of four wolves from the Togo Pack. Removing anymore wolves, leaving only one, would eliminate the pack. To date, no wolves have been removed from the Togo Pack. The last predation on livestock by the Togo Pack was on June 6. There has not been a documented wolf predation in the Togo pack territory since June 6. As of July 23, 2020, the pack has been involved in one depredation in the last 10 months and zero in the last 30 days. WDFW entered an evaluation period for the Togo Pack.
On the same date the Togo Pack entered an evaluation period, July 23, 2020, the WDFW Director authorized the lethal removal of one wolf from the Wedge Pack. The Wedge Pack has been involved in nine livestock predation incidents, 5 within the last 30 days, resulting in multiple injuries and two deaths. The lethal authorization allowed for the killing of one wolf in the three wolf pack, again to avoid eliminating a pack. A non breeding female was killed on July 27, 2020. The pack has now entered an evaluation period.
WDFW uses incremental removal of wolves from packs predating on livestock in an attempt to change pack behavior. This is a poor choice of words. They are not attempting to change behavior, but to alter the energy needs of the pack by removing wolves. Decreased energy needs and few wolves hunting can alter how the pack hunts. The word behavior is confusing. They are not attempting to condition a pack and connect the killing of livestock to the death of a pack (family) member, but to alter the pack dynamics.
Pregnant, collared female from Northeast Washington
It is important to remember that wolf packs are not groups of marauding predators menacing the landscape, but families that consist of a breeding pair and their offspring from the current and previous years. Packs function much like human families. The elders work to meet the needs of and nurture the young of the year. Livestock are much larger, much meatier and much slower than native ungulates like elk and deer. Their presence on the landscape, often without human supervision, is a slow moveable feast for wolves, particularly wolf packs with pups that have high caloric need and are tied to a smaller geographic area due to denning.
Proactive non lethal deterrents are required, on paper anyway, by WDFW before lethal removal of wolves can be considered. This effort in NE Washington is failing. Livestock producers received a grant to be their own range riders this year. The proactive effort to keep wolves and livestock out of conflict is lacking. Furthermore, there is no standard that needs to be met to “check the box,” for the non lethal deterrent of range riding.
Take some time and write a letter about the importance of standardizing the practice of range riding. Citizens of Washington deserve to know that every effort is being made to protect and preserve our wildlife.