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Green Co. Dairy Breakfast
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Farm Events: |
Farm News: Farm Bureau Endorses De-Listing Of Gray WolfcommentsPosted: 07.05.2011
The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation has submitted a letter to federal regulators that supports removal of gray wolves from protected status.
“The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation supports the proposal from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment of gray wolves from the Federal list of endangered and threatened species,” reads the letter sent June 28.
Farm Bureau notes that Wisconsin has exceeded population goals set in the 1989 wolf recovery plan devised by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). A goal of 80 wolves was met in 1997. By 1999 the DNR created a wolf management plan for an increasing population of gray wolves that called for a delisting goal of 250 wolves and a state management goal of 350 wolves. The wolf count in 2010-2011 determined over 800 gray wolves are living in Wisconsin.
“The carrying capacity for wolves in the Wisconsin landscape has been exceeded and is causing stress and destructive behavior by some wolf populations,” wrote Karen Gefvert, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Director of Governmental Relations. “Wolf verified livestock kills have increased over 250 percent since 2003 and almost doubled from 2009 to 2010.”
Total incidents of depredation of livestock and pets for Wisconsin in 2010 were 99. In addition, there were 20 depredation related injuries to livestock and pets in 2010. Total compensation for wolf confirmed injury or loss in Wisconsin totaled approximately $175,000.
“This amount of compensation does not begin to cover the stress, anxiety or threat to a way of life for Wisconsin farmers and their livestock,” Gefvert adds.
“Removal of the gray wolf from the federal list of endangered and threatened species would allow the Wisconsin DNR to assume management of the growing wolf population,” reads the Farm Bureau’s letter. “Farmers have a problem with the growing wolf population in the state and need tools that allow them to take care of problem wolves that have become consistent threats to their families and their livestock. As the population of gray wolves continues to rise, and no management tools currently available to state agencies, packs of wolves are forced further south in the state to find food and into more heavily populated areas. With the increasing incidents of depredation on livestock over just the past two years, the threat to human safety is of growing concern as well.”
Farm Bureau notes that a reduction in funding from the federal government for wolf depredation management, Wisconsin must be given the tools needed to manage wolf populations.
“The gray wolf therefore must be removed from the Federal list of endangered and threatened species and allowed to be managed by each state,” Gefvert added. “This will result in an increase in states to quickly and efficiently respond to wolf conflicts and manage the overpopulated regions while still keeping wolf populations well above the threatened status level.”
Members of Wisconsin’s Congressional Delegation were also copied on the letter.
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