Tuesday, July 12, 2011

WolfBlog Entry #3 -- June 24, 2011

The Oregon wolves are in relatively pristine habitat but are effectively isolated from other populations due to the Snake River and its canyons.  If the Snake River were not there, these Oregon populations would not be isolated.  In addition, the habitat in northeastern Oregon, with its river and mountain systems, Wallowa Valley, and grassland/shrubland areas (a portion of the Columbia Plateau east of the Wallowa Valley), is too fragmented.

Of great concern is the lack of genetic diversity within new packs that form in each management area as the current packs grow in size, i.e. new alpha males and females will be siblings.  This brings up another issue--will siblings breed?  Does the gray wolf have the innate ability to not breed with close relatives?  The range of each Oregon pack is limited/isolated and therefore the new packs cannot add an alpha male or female from a different pack, e.g. a pack in northern Idaho.

What does the re-introduction of wolves in Oregon accomplish?  Nothing.  In fact, the situation is worse than neutral, it is negative.  Everyone involved with the re-introduction should be embarrassed and ashamed.  A lot of time and money is spent for nothing--a classic example of mismanagement and overmanagement.  There are hundreds of pages in the mis, over-management plan, but the problems and the correct analysis can be communicated in a few paragraphs.

Also of great concern is the presence of the wolves may affect the local economy, including recreation and tourism; people will be afraid to camp, hunt, fish, hike, backpack into the backcountry.

No comments:

Post a Comment