{"id":2213,"date":"2010-06-10T12:50:04","date_gmt":"2010-06-10T16:50:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/?p=2213"},"modified":"2010-06-10T12:50:04","modified_gmt":"2010-06-10T16:50:04","slug":"northeastern-wolf-back-in-the-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/2010\/06\/10\/northeastern-wolf-back-in-the-news\/","title":{"rendered":"“Northeastern wolf” back in the news"},"content":{"rendered":"

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced yesterday it would not develop a plan to protect wolves in northern New York and New England.<\/p>\n

From the Associated Press wire:<\/p>\n

Wildlife Service officials say the decision was made because there is no distinct breeding population of wolves in the region that could be protected.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This needs a little deconstruction:<\/p>\n

Some animals–according to their DNA–are wolves. Gray wolves, for instance live in the North American West (though they are moving slowly eastward–there are anecdotal reports of gray wolves as far east as Minnesota).<\/p>\n

Coyotes are not wolves. Their DNA is different. But here in northern New York, this crisp distinction between the two species blurs.<\/p>\n

Some biologists say coyotes here bred with wolves from northern Ontario and Quebec (read all about it here<\/a>). This, they say, explains why coyotes in northern New York are much bigger than coyotes out west. It may also explain why coyotes here have been reported exhibiting the kinds of pack behavior more like that of wolves than other coyotes elsewhere.<\/p>\n

These biologists also say that, because of this coyote-wolf breeding, there’s no good reason to re-introduce wolves in the area. There is also some evidence that our coyotes are already filling wolves’ traditional role as a top-tier predator.<\/p>\n

After the Wildlife Service said it wouldn’t draft a plan to protect wolves here, the Center for Biological Diversity issued a press release quoting Mollie Matteson at the group’s Vermont office:<\/p>\n

There is extensive habitat for wolves in the Northeast.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On this point, I think there’s wide spread agreement. Between the town of Cranberry Lake and Old Forge, it’s pretty easy to imagine a wolf family or two living quite happily. But Matteson also said this:<\/p>\n

The only obstacle to the return of the wolf in the Northeast is leadership and a clear plan for their recovery.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It’s far less clear that this is true. If the research on wolf-coyote hybridization is corroborated, then the behavior of the wolves themselves is an obstacle to re-introduction in northern New York and New England.<\/p>\n

Again, from the Associated Press wire:<\/p>\n

…advocates wanted the Wildlife Service to declare Northeast wolves a distinct population, which would require the federal government to create a plan to restore the animals.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So re-introduction of wolves is not an option in northern New York and New England (at least right now). But it’s important to remember that it doesn’t need to be.<\/p>\n

Individual wolves do turn up every now and again in the region. And when they do, these animals are protected by the federal Endangered Species Act.<\/p>\n

Personally, I’d love to see (or, more likely, hear) wolves in northern New York. Other top tier predators scare the stuffing out of me. Wolves do not. I have avoided being “et” by a bear twice, thankyouverymuch, and I know I’m no match for a mountain lion.<\/p>\n

But wolves seem much more akin to humans, more understandable maybe. Wolves live in a family structure similar to humans. The animals are deadly, certainly, but human fatalities caused by wolves are very rare.<\/p>\n

I’ve encountered a wild wolf once. There’s no sensation like it. Fear, wonder and admiration mix with a sense of shared (familiar?) understanding.<\/p>\n

It’s this familiarity that can shatter whatever boundaries we may think exist between us and wilderness (or capital-“N” Nature). And this may be one reason why so many people want to re-introduce wolves where they are.<\/p>\n

But I think we need more information–more scientific research–before restoring wolves here.<\/p>\n

What do you think?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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