JACKSON, Wyo. — As Wyoming and the federal government negotiate the state's plan for managing wolves after they are delisted, the state is sticking to its guns that excess wolf packs be eliminated.
"In terms of reducing the packs, that's always been a state objective from the outset," Gov. Dave Freudenthal said. "Frankly, it's essential for both wildlife and domestic livestock that we do that."
There are an estimated 23 wolf packs outside Yellowstone National Park, with three packs in the park. Under federal guidelines, Wyoming needs to maintain a minimum of seven packs outside the park, in addition to three inside, to ensure that wolves will not become endangered again.
Wyoming representatives have said they would like the federal government to eliminate the extra packs before removing wolves from federal protection and turning over management to the state.
The prospect of eliminating wolf packs has been mentioned in recent discussions between state and federal officials about a possible new approach to wolf management in Wyoming. The state's wolf management plan has been rejected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service because it would subject the animals to unregulated killing in areas except Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks and surrounding wilderness.
A new proposal aimed at resolving the dispute would increase the area where wolves would be treated as "trophy game," meaning they could be killed only with permission from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
Meredith Taylor of the Wyoming Outdoor Council said the idea of eliminating up to 16 wolf packs is a "recipe for relisting."
"Why would we waste all the wildlife conservation success that we've invested by killing up to 16 wolf packs now?" she asked. "Wyoming took a big step forward with wolf recovery 10 years ago, but this shift in management by the (Fish and Wildlife Service) is a giant step back into the dark ages of wolf slaughter that got the wolves listed in the first place."
Mitch King, regional director for the Fish and Wildlife Service, said there has been "some discussion about moving more aggressively with wolf control." He said attorneys are looking at that possibility.
"I'm not overly optimistic, but I want to hear what the lawyers say," King said. He said his optimism was "measured" because there would likely be outcry over the wolf killings.
"Although it sounds like a lot of bloodshed, that's more of an emotional argument," King said. "Experts said for wolves to be fully recovered, all we needed to do was have 10 breeding pairs and 100 wolves, and wolves would survive that way. It does not mean wolves will be heading again toward extinction."
Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for the lower 48 states for the Fish and Wildlife Service, said in the past 10 years, about 550 wolves have been killed because of predation on livestock.