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Tag: California Gray Wolf

  • California Gray Wolf Could Be Safe From Harm In The Golden State

    The future of gray wolves in California is hanging in the balance. California advocates for the animals now have to wait 90 days before learning if the wolves will be listed as endangered and be protected.

    Ranchers and state wildlife officials are opposing their protection.

    The five members of California Fish and Game Commission, voted unanimously to hold off making a decision until they can get a better take on the public’s opinion about protecting the species, which has shown signs of a comeback after being killed off in the 1920’s.

    The final decision on their protection is due by the end of this week, after the F&G Commission holds a public hearing to get feedback about whether they should protect wolves under the state’s Endangered Species Act.

    What should be considered as well are the full-time staff biologists and other non-political employees who recommended that wolves get consideration for legal protection last August.

    This decision should also be given serious consideration after they were brought to extinction in California. However, their comeback can be attributed to one wolf, which around December 28, 2011 (via tracking device), wandered 700 miles from northeastern Oregon into the northern California county of Siskiyou. He was the first confirmed wolf in California in over 85 years, and became the focus of the future of wolves in the state.

    A group of school kids nicknamed the meandering wolf “Journey” because he lives between Oregon and California. Nobody is really sure where he’ll settle down but Journey needs protection so that their population can exist once again.

    Wolves were quite common in a big part of California, where they played an important role in the food chain. During the 20th century, the government extermination programs began, driven by the livestock industry, driving wolves to extinction in the state.

    By the 1920s, there were hardly any wolves left in the continental United States, much less California.

    Since wolves were brought to Yellowstone National Park in the1990s, scientists have documented that the benefits to the park’s wildlife and vegetation survival and well being, were tremendous.

    There are still hundreds of square miles of habitat left for wolves. They will come back, but only if we let them. They will need protection from the outright slaughter that drove them out of existence in the first place.

    They are our dog’s ancestors, they are an integral part of planet earth, and they deserve their place in the world.

    Image via YouTube

  • California Gray Wolf: Decision Delayed on Protecting Rare Breed

    The gray wolf endangered species was considered by The California Fish and Game Commission Wednesday in an effort to protect the rare breed.

    After failing to come up with a unanimous agreement, the commission of five members decided to delay the decision.

    A gray wolf-known as OR-7-that crossed into Northern California from Oregon is the only known breed of his kind in the area.

    The state board wants to ensure that the population of the gray wolf is legally protected from threatening situations.

    More than 50 people attended the gathering including rancher Kirk Wilbur, who is the director of government relation for the California Cattlemen’s Association.

    He told the commission that the gray wolf is dangerous by nature.

    “Wolves directly kill livestock and in addition to that they can cause disease and other harm from stress,” he told the Associated Press.

    Another attendant at the meeting also agreed.

    “Wolves are beautiful animals,” said Ventura rancher Mike Williams. “But they’re also vicious, brutal and efficient killing machines and a threat to people, livestock and pets.”

    Many ranchers and farmers are quite disappointed that the commission is pushing forward an agenda that would include wolves on the California endangered species list.

    A past report about a man accidentally shooting a gray wolf:

    However, the Center for Biological Diversity says that their sudden disappearance in Northern California proves that they are going into extinction.

     

     

    According to CBS Sacramento, the gray wolf population made a sudden reappearance after its massive slaughter in the 1920s. In the 1980s and 90s, wolves were near extinction until federal protection laws were passed in their favor.

    Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, and the Great Lakes are some of the main regions where wolves can be found. However, these areas do not grant wolves federal protection. Forty-eight states have also considered removing their protection laws.

    Advocates hope that the best decision will be made for OR-7 and other wolves alike.

    The commission plans to officially vote on the matter in 90 days.

    A past report about OR-7’s travel to California:

    Image via YouTube