Idaho Wolves Deserve Conversation Not Eradication

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The wolves beat the hunters in the recent, and highly contested, wolf and coyote derby in Salmon, ID. Wolves eluded the participants for the entire two-day hunt, but 21 coyotes were not so fortunate. The absence of any wolf kills, however, has not lessened the intensity of the controversy, nor the temperature of the debates. Wolves are a touchy subject, no matter the stance; as with most hotly contested issues, there is an abundance of information, but not all of it is correct.

So are the wolves predators that destroy livestock other wildlife, creating devastating losses for both ranchers and hunters? Or are they prey? Misunderstood, maligned and victimized only for what comes naturally to the species? Do wolves contribute significantly to the spread of parasites to elk and cattle, and can humans get these same parasites? Are the wolves found in the Idaho mountains the same wolves that were here before, or are these wolves truly different from the ones they replaced?

And the biggest question of all - can wolves, and humans get along?

These are not the same wolves who were here before.

This is really a trick statement, and the answer is not very straightforward. Yes, they are the same wolves who roamed the Idaho mountains in great numbers at one point in history, but at the same time, they're not. The reason is they are both of the grey wolf species, but different subspecies. The former inhabitants were the Northern Rocky Mountain Wolves, or Canis lupus irremotus. These wolves are one of the largest subspecies of the grey wolves, weighing anywhere from 75 - 150 lbs., and standing at 26 - 32".

When their numbers dwindled down to almost nonexistent, their cousins, the McKenzie Valley Wolves, were...

... middle of paper ...

...t just a "kill them all" or "let them all run free" stance.

Besides, if wolves were truly as dangerous as people make them out to be, they wouldn't be so popular as pets; same with coyotes and fox. And, despite the rhetoric of "the wild animal will take over, and it will turn on you," personal experience with the latter two proved quite the contrary; both were loving, loyal and gentle. Furthermore, as far as livestock is concerned, a pack of unkept dogs can do just as much damage, if not more, than any wild animal.

The truth is the battle is about far more than wolves; it is about a lack of discussion and understanding between two entities, both with strong convictions about what is right - for themselves, their families, their communities, and for the wolves. Considering the battle fought over one Wolf and Coyote Derby, that conversation is nowhere near happening.

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