WOLVES: Here's what I hate most

First off, I believe there’s a place for wolves in Idaho — but only if their population is effectively managed so other wildlife species aren’t negatively impacted. 

On May 28, Ken Hirschman’s column “Wolves in a parallel universe” appeared in the CDA Press.  His primary intent was to discredit a speech made by Jim Beers, a former, long-time employee of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the record, I don’t know either of these men.

I appreciate various opinions, especially when both sides present credible points of view. But what I hate most about the wolf controversy is when someone blatantly ignores facts to help prove a point.  

Mr. Hirschman is a perfect example. During Beers’ speech, he said “there’s a growing danger of wolf attacks.” Hirschman flippantly responded by saying, “I assume he was referring to attacks on human beings, of which there have been none.”  

Try telling that to the family of Candice Berner, the 32-year old Special Ed teacher from Slippery Rock, PA, who last August accepted a teaching job in Chignik Lake, Alaska. On March 10, 2010, while jogging and listening to her I-pod, she was attacked, killed and partially eaten by four Canadian gray wolves.

Hirschman also criticized Beers for saying “a Canadian gray wolf can weigh upwards of 200 pounds.” Hirschman again ignored the fact that in 2009, a 235-pound Canadian gray wolf was shot and killed in Drayton Valley, Canada. Photos are posted on the internet.  

In my opinion, the best place to evaluate the impact of wolf re-introduction is Yellowstone National Park. It offers the perfect habitat and is free from most human management. In 1995, before wolves were introduced to the park, the Northern Yellowstone herd population was approximately 19,000. In 2008, that same herd was estimated at just over 6,000. (Source: 2009 Wolf-Ungulate Study, by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks)  The same study also points out that the moose population in Yellowstone has declined significantly since 1995, a decrease to almost zero.

Wolves aren’t vegetarians. Each adult can consume 25 pounds of meat at a time, but they require an average of 5.5 pounds of meat per day to survive. Do the math. A thousand wolves would require 2,007,500 pounds of meat per year. Unless wolf enthusiasts are providing this meat, their requirement is primarily coming from elk, deer and moose.

Wolves must be managed. To ignore the facts is not only irresponsible, but potentially dangerous as well.

STEVE SHAMION

Post Falls