Wolf numbers in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana continue to grow at a fast rate officials say after a 2006 study that the growth rate averages 26% annually. The Yellowstone Park area saw the greatest increase by about 31%. The growth rate of wolves is greatest in Yellowstone and the elk herd numbers have decreased the most of anywhere, yet officials and wolf advocates want to tell us that wolves aren’t having an effect on elk numbers.
A reality check for all of us comes from a comment made by Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“I keep thinking we’re at the top end of the bubble,” said Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “I can’t see that there’s room for any more, but we’ll see.”
It pretty much tells us that wolf management is far from an exact science and that officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service really don’t have a handle on wolf management. This should be a concern for all of us.
Read more about the report and what lies ahead for the wolf and ranchers.
Tom Remington
