Science, Mythology, Hatred, and the Fate of the Gray Wolf

[dbackjon]

For the past few weeks, I’ve been trying to find a way to accept the decision by Ken Salazar, the new secretary of the interior, to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list in Idaho and Montana. It was a relief to have a sensible conversation with newly appointed interior officials after eight years of hearing almost nothing but distortion and duplicity from the top figures in the department. It was also a relief to hear them say, in describing the way they reached this decision, that they were simply following the guidance of career scientists. And yet I still can’t accept it.

The reintroduction of wolves in the Rocky Mountain West has been an overwhelming success. It began with 65 wolves in 1995 and 1996, and the population has now reached approximately 1,600 across the region, with about a hundred breeding pairs. The numerical standards of the original recovery plan have been more than met, and there is new evidence, according to Interior Department scientists, that enough intermingling is taking place among separate populations to ensure a healthy genetic diversity.

Unfortunately, very little has been done to change the behavior of humans — who drove wolves to the brink of extinction. The way the wolf has been delisted, this time, is a reminder that what we are really doing when we protect endangered and threatened species is managing our own species.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/opini ... ?th&emc=th

[grizzaholic]

(deep breath).........

[dbackjon]

I actually thought this was a pretty good article...

[Grizalltheway]

I actually thought this was a pretty good article...

Give it up Jon, it's like talking to a brick wall when it comes to this subject around here.

[grizzaholic]

I actually thought this was a pretty good article...

Give it up Jon, it's like talking to yourself when it comes to this subject around here.

Accuracy.

[Cleets Part 2]

Wolves..!!!
The scourge of Human existence

[houndawg]

Wolves..!!!
The scourge of Human existence

Smart, resourceful, independent, self-reliant...........no wonder westerners hate them.

[Cleets Part 2]

Wolves..!!!
The scourge of Human existence

Smart, resourceful, independent, self-reliant...........no wonder westerners hate them.

Really it's because they kill so many school children every year..!!!
This Wolf infestation must be stopped... after that we need to tackle this Robot infestation, it's getting out of hand, Robots everywhere - it's getting too dangerous to go outside...

after that, we need to address the killer Zombies thing... it's a serious issue right now

[wideright82]

Smart, resourceful, independent, self-reliant...........no wonder westerners hate them.

Really it's because they kill so many school children every year..!!!
This Wolf infestation must be stopped... after that we need to tackle this Robot infestation, it's getting out of hand, Robots everywhere - it's getting too dangerous to go outside...

after that, we need to address the killer Zombies thing... it's a serious issue right now

you just wait until we are living in a robot controlled world before you make that joke again Cleets.

[Cleets Part 2]

Really it's because they kill so many school children every year..!!!
This Wolf infestation must be stopped... after that we need to tackle this Robot infestation, it's getting out of hand, Robots everywhere - it's getting too dangerous to go outside...

after that, we need to address the killer Zombies thing... it's a serious issue right now

you just wait until we are living in a robot controlled world before you make that joke again Cleets.

I assure you I could not be more serious..!!!
This Robot thing is out of control...
Robots building cars, sorting mail, incubating chicken eggs.. it's not long I tell you before the Robots merge with the Wolves and BAM..!!! we'll have ourselves a Robot-Wolf infestation...

And don't even get me started about the god damned Zombies..!!!

[wideright82]

you just wait until we are living in a robot controlled world before you make that joke again Cleets.

I assure you I could not be more serious..!!!
This Robot thing is out of control...
Robots building cars, sorting mail, incubating chicken eggs.. it's not long I tell you before the Robots merge with the Wolves and BAM..!!! we'll have ourselves a Robot-Wolf infestation...

And don't even get me started about the god damned Zombies..!!!

I've been talking about the robot take over, and the wolf take over for months now. COMBINING THEM!!!!!! That is just lunacy, but I LOVE IT!!


Just wait for those Japanese to start building robot wolves. Then we are finished. Great theory Cleets. Now publish that thing so we can say we came up with it once it happens.

[BlueHen86]

you just wait until we are living in a robot controlled world before you make that joke again Cleets.

I assure you I could not be more serious..!!!
This Robot thing is out of control...
Robots building cars, sorting mail, incubating chicken eggs.. it's not long I tell you before the Robots merge with the Wolves and BAM..!!! we'll have ourselves a Robot-Wolf infestation...

And don't even get me started about the god damned Zombies..!!!

Do robot-wolves eat robot-chickens?

[Cleets Part 2]

This is a little taste of whats in store when the Robot Zombies descend on small town America

[wideright82]

I assure you I could not be more serious..!!!
This Robot thing is out of control...
Robots building cars, sorting mail, incubating chicken eggs.. it's not long I tell you before the Robots merge with the Wolves and BAM..!!! we'll have ourselves a Robot-Wolf infestation...

And don't even get me started about the god damned Zombies..!!!

Do robot-wolves eat robot-chickens?

No the do not, oddly enough Hen. They eat nothing but fried zucchini and corn bread, don't ask, but that's what they eat.

[dbackjon]

Do robot-wolves eat robot-chickens?

No the do not, oddly enough Hen. They eat nothing but fried zucchini and corn bread, don't ask, but that's what they eat.

I thought Robot-wolves were partial to the Olive Garden?

[wideright82]

No the do not, oddly enough Hen. They eat nothing but fried zucchini and corn bread, don't ask, but that's what they eat.

I thought Robot-wolves were partial to the Olive Garden?

You need to do more reading on Robot-wolves apparently

[Cleets Part 2]

Do robot-wolves eat robot-chickens?

No the do not, oddly enough Hen. They eat nothing but fried zucchini and corn bread, don't ask, but that's what they eat.

Just hold on there one minute mister..!!!
Robot-Wolves have been sighted in Yellowstone and the greater Rockies stealing kindergarteners lunch boxes... eating the contents whole and then selling the collectable boxes on e-Bay (at a reasonable discount)

Just an FYI: for you collectable lunch-box folks out there

[BlueHen86]

Do robot-wolves eat robot-chickens?

No the do not, oddly enough Hen. They eat nothing but fried zucchini and corn bread, don't ask, but that's what they eat.

That's a relief.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 6385735418

[grizzaholic]

Just keep joking about it.

[wideright82]

No the do not, oddly enough Hen. They eat nothing but fried zucchini and corn bread, don't ask, but that's what they eat.

Just hold on there one minute mister..!!!
Robot-Wolves have been sighted in Yellowstone and the greater Rockies stealing kindergarteners lunch boxes... eating the contents whole and then selling the collectable boxes on e-Bay (at a reasonable discount)

Just an FYI: for you collectable lunch-box folks out there

Yes, however, I don't know if there is enough scientific evidence to say that they are doing that for nurishment. It appears they do that merely for the monetary value of the lunch box, or they are doing it because it's funny to watch the little kids freak out when a robot-wolf steals their lunch. Data is nowhere near conclusive yet though.

[BlueHen86]

Just hold on there one minute mister..!!!
Robot-Wolves have been sighted in Yellowstone and the greater Rockies stealing kindergarteners lunch boxes... eating the contents whole and then selling the collectable boxes on e-Bay (at a reasonable discount)

Just an FYI: for you collectable lunch-box folks out there

Yes, however, I don't know if there is enough scientific evidence to say that they are doing that for nurishment. It appears they do that merely for the monetary value of the lunch box, or they are doing it because it's funny to watch the little kids freak out when a robot-wolf steals their lunch. Data is nowhere near conclusive yet though.

I'm not sure sure about that....I hear Al Gore has a docu-movie in the works.

[wideright82]

Yes, however, I don't know if there is enough scientific evidence to say that they are doing that for nurishment. It appears they do that merely for the monetary value of the lunch box, or they are doing it because it's funny to watch the little kids freak out when a robot-wolf steals their lunch. Data is nowhere near conclusive yet though.

I'm not sure sure about that....I hear Al Gore has a docu-movie in the works.

Like I said. NOWHERE near conclusive yet.

[houndawg]

I'm not sure sure about that....I hear Al Gore has a docu-movie in the works.

Like I said. NOWHERE near conclusive yet.

Let me remind youn's that it was Al Gore who invented the robot wolf.

[wideright82]

Like I said. NOWHERE near conclusive yet.

Let me remind youn's that it was Al Gore who invented the robot wolf.

I thought that was manbearpig?

[grizzaholic]

Letters to the editor.

Game, livestock, people the victims
The wolf situation is getting out of control.

They have severely diminished game populations and are wreaking havoc on livestock all over. We have some lousy, stinking bureaucrats in our current federal administration that think we need these predators all around us. If these eight-balls want this then why don’t they keep wolves penned up in their own backyard? Instead, they think that we are all a bunch of poor, dumb, backwoods people who don’t have the money or the power to fight this. Let’s all get together (all who are against wolves) and not pay taxes or buy hunting licenses until this situation is taken care of. I know if we get everyone together and do this, something will get done in our favor.

I know it sounds absurd, but how else are we going to get this changed and keep it that way? Remember the next time you are out hunting or checking livestock and come upon a wolf situation. Are you just going to shrug it off and hope that something will get done? At what point will you have had enough? Personally, I have. Of course, maybe people will just keep putting up with this and will continue to fork out the tax dollars and buy hunting licenses. Perhaps I’ve just wasted newspaper space.

Lenny Page, Lonepine

Wolves worse than trespassers
I just finished reading the March 31 article written by Perry Backus, “Trespassers, vandals may lose privileges.” I could not believe my eyes when I read this line - “regarding vandalizing state parks, sportsmen pay the price when illegal antler hunters sneak onto state game ranges and disturb elk and deer at their most fragile time.” Meaning, of course, when they are heavy with their young. They are weak from hunger, the snow is crusted, and the wolves have run the supreme crap out of them for the last three months.

I agree, people should not be trespassing on these lands, but I will tell you this - a couple of beer-guzzling rednecks aren’t going to bother the deer and elk nearly as much as a pack of wolves. In the winter when the snow is crusted, they kill because they can, not always because they have to.

How many wolves are out there? Too damn many. In one day I have ridden my snowmobile starting from the North Fork across the flat, over the Ryan Bridge on to Downey Lake, past the Boot Tree, across Mollett Park, across McCabe Creek, hit the county road and headed for the Monture Ranger Station, and on up Lodge Pole Creek. And guess what I saw - fresh wolf tracks everywhere I went. I don’t need some tinker bell tiptoeing through the timber holding an antenna over his head sniffing wolf scat to tell me how many wolves there are out there. I would like to give you an idea of how many wolf kills I have found lately, but it is impossible to tell if the does were carrying one fawn or two.

By the way, if you are planning on deer hunting in the Blackfoot next fall you better bring one with you - for your chances of getting eaten by a grizzly bear are far greater than finding any game.

Larry Dillree, Ovando