Dear Laurie Lyman,

The day before yesterday was “Blog Action Day — Climate Change 2009″. Bloggers were asked on another blog if blogging could save the planet.

I think blogging can save the wolves and the world we inhabit. Blogging may be the only thing that can.

Perhaps we can choose to appreciate blogging as a form of music in new key. Let the sounds of silence spread through cyberspace until everyone is who is not stone deaf (and every intellectually dishonest denialist) can hear the words loudly and clearly.

Keep going.

All the best to you, Ben Jervey and to everyone else who supports your efforts,

Steve

Laurie, so sorry to hear this. My wife is a 2nd grade teacher in Poway and I am a backpacker. I saw the Sullivan Meadow pack between Bowman Lake & Polebrige, Montana in Glacier in 93 and was thrilled to know they were coming back and to actually see an alpha pair and 4 black pups. I'm jealous of what you are doing up there, but sad to hear about this hunt. I have been sending Sierra Club, Wilderness Society, Defenders of Wildlife, etc generated responses to government officials protesting this hunt. This is horrible! Thank you for being there and being a witness and a voice. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

stevierayhall@yahoo.com

The terrible news of the killing of Wolf 527 has just reached the Florida newspapers today (11/1/09). A beautiful, intelligent wolf was killed for crossing an invisible boundary, after acting upon her insticts to travel. People killed wolves close to instiction, people reintroduced the species, only to kill it again. This is a cruel cycle.
I tried to blog to Ralph Maughan about 572, and on his site he said this thread was done and closed it for comments. I hope the comments are never done, and I hope 527 is remembered.

I would like to start protesting tourism to the state of Montana. Reducing their tourism dollars in an effort to stop the wolf hunts might actually get their attention. Kicking someone in the wallet usually hurts more than kicking them in their head!!

The Native American tried to emulate the wolf for it sense of community? This is so tragic. Why can't we don orange vests and just walk around to keep the wolves from leaving the "safe" area? It hurts my heart.

Hey I just wanted to thank you guys for re-introducing the wolf. You have given me another game animal to hunt!!! The best part is after you shoot it you can just throw him/her in the trash!!!!

You people have GOT to be kidding me! The wolf population is responsible for the declines in the elk population. You blithering tree huggers act like your dog was killed. Get over it! A wolf is a predator. Killing wolves is sensible species management. Where is your bleeding heart for the elk that he wolves are killing???

"Blogging is the only thing that can save the wolves..." Puleeze!

Laurie, It would be interesting to know how many elk, moose and deer 527 and it's pack of killers left to die after only tearing out their fetuses and leaving them to die suffering. Please tell your readers the rest of the story.I have lived in Wyoming all my life. I have no objection to wolves, but when they grow to numbers that are devasting to other species, control measures must be enacted. If I have a choice of seeing an elk herd grazing on a grassy slope or a cow and calf moose or large bull moose wading through a wetland, I would choose either of these disappearing species over a pack of murdering wolves that kill for pleasure alone. If you have a measure to keep these beautiful creatures in the boundries of Yellowstone, I'm all for it, but if they cross the invisible boundry to kill everything they encounter, they should be fair game to those who would like to protect their property and other game animals.

We have started the Wolf 527 Wildlife Club at our school and are raising money for Defenders of Wildlife and for a local wolf sanctuary that cares for young wolves who have had their "parents" slaughtered by the Fish and Game people in Alaska and hunters in Montana and Idaho. If you know a teacher or teach yourself, please start a similar club. It is a great way to educate the children and they can learn to see the importance of getting involved.

Laurie, Your intentions, though you think well of them, are so misguided it is hard to know where to begin. You seem to consider these wolves the same as your pet dog, or even human. They are neither.
First off, this eco-system never supported this species of wolves, but a wolf smaller than the grey Canadian wolf introduced. It was introduced into an ecosystme that had not had wolves of any kind in any number for generations.
The effects these rapidly growing wolf numbers are having on other species, namely, for starters, the moose, sheep and elk is devastating and these species, in this area will only recover with the hunting of wolves to keep their numbers in check and/or the reindroduction of these species from other areas when the wolves are thinned to manageable numbers.

You say you have been in this area for 5 years. That 5 years does not give you a realistic amount of time to see what these non-essential wolves have done to the existing ecosystem. My son is a 4th generation member of this family. My husband and son spend so much time and cover so much area around the greater Yellowstone area, that in their life times it is incalcuable the number of critters they have seen. They have seen this area decimated by the wolves, and yet you and your sister groups, who claim to love wildlife, do not care.

You mistakenly attribute to these animals human and/or pet characteristics, but they are, in fact, wild predators, that left unchecked will do and are doing, untold harm to other species.

I realize you would like to see no hunting of any species. You don't know history very well. Hunters and sportmen and women spend more money for the conservation of wildlife than any of you eco-frenzy organizations.

We care about the balance of ALL species, not one over the other. And mankind is one of thoses species. We have been, as a species, hunters for millenium and that is how our Creator made us. And He gave us dominion over all of the animals, to manage them, and to EAT them.

I will pray for you and yours that you will get a more realistic view of our ecosystems and begin to have more compassion for the creatures as a whole, and worship your Creeator not creation, so you can put things in a more balanced and real light.

God bless

+JMJ+

When wolves were first re-introduced into Idaho, I followed their progress and became increasingly concerned as we watched the population skyrocket. I live in Idaho. I have paid more to help wildlife through Pitman-Robertson Act/hunting license fees than you wolf-huggers probably ever will, unless they start taking a portion of your BMW's purchase price to help wildlife. It seems that you saw one in Yellowstone 20 years ago and think you are brothers or something. I have an idea, I want to reintroduce the bastards right in your yard so that they can eat your little poodle Fifi. Aside from being a government sponsored "illegal immigration" program, reintroducing Canadian wolves into my state has hurt many people who depend on the hunting industry for a living. But you probably don't care about that at all because someone killed your "pet" #527. 527 didn't know you. He would have eaten Fifi. He already has killed many pets in our state and livestock, too. Hope you can get over it. As for me, I'll buy another wolf tag next year.

I’m not a rancher, hunter or wolf tracker. I haven’t lost sheep, livestock or pets to predators but do have friends and neighbors who have. Living at the foothills of the Santa Monica Mtns. in So. Ca., we learn that urban sprawl infringes on wildlife. We take away their territory and like us, they get hungry. I can understand the anger and even outrage expressed by some; however, I cannot comprehend the hatred or desire to kill or hunt defenseless animals for the thrill or skill of it. The Mar. issue of Nat’l Geographic Magazine on “Wolf Wars” reports wolf predation is responsible for 1% of 1,300 reported livestock losses in 2008. 527 F was an illusive, radio collared, much researched wolf that never got into trouble with ranchers and wasn’t told about rifles or Park boundaries. She had spirit. She was a survivor. She deserved a better end and I found her loss to be especially profound.

The death of any animal is sad to some degree if you are a caring person. But the very sad truth is all animals and people die. No living organism is immortal. I am not against killing any living thing if there is a valid reason. You even have the ethical right to kill another Human Being in self defense. Death is a natural and necessary part of the fabric of life. Wolf 527 died from a bullet. If the bullet was well delivered, she never felt a thing. Is that a worse fate than being torn apart by another pack (something she did to other wolves)? Or slowly starving to death? The wolves in the Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming area are decimating their food supply. While wolf numbers have been skyrocketing the numbers of their prey items, deer, elk and even bison have been crashing. If this continues unabated the scales will tip and there will be a massive die off of wolves due to starvation. That is the natural way to achieve balance. You talk about the pleasure you got from watching 527 while she was alive. Will you enjoy watching while your favorite wolves slowly and cruelly starve or slaughter each other when the food runs out? Very few people want all the wolves removed. But since the population has expanded beyond what was intended by biologists, it is necessary (perhaps sadly) to reduce their numbers to sustainable populations that do not conflict with the rights and needs of people. Come back to reality and accept the fact that all wild animals will die and a bullet is better than most wild ways. Stop morning the animals that are dead and concentrate on the enjoying the ones that are alive and are there for us to observe and appreciate.

I can't believe you people are crying over a wolf. What about the ranchers that make a living raising cattle and the wolfs attacking and killing the calf's as they are being born? What about that? How about the young boy that was attacked and killed by wolves as his family watched and could do nothing about it? What is this world coming to where a man can't protect himself or his family from predators like the wolf, mountain lion and bear? God forbid one ever get in my sights......tag or no tag.....it's history. They are a nuisance and never should have been brought back.

Comment on all this "But what about humans .... " - of course, they must die. [no animals are immortal, as correctly noted]. And i hope those who don't understand difference between even numbers of a) wolves and b) humans where (a<

Laurie, In the summer of 2010 I took a wildlife ecology course through Montana State University. During the course we spent one week spotting wildlife in Yellowstone. During that time I wrote a poem about Canus Lupus 147 that I was told you may be interested in the poem...Enjoy. Canus Lupus 147 When you're bedded down, do you think about your place in the pack? As the alpha male you have replaced the "old man" whose body is worn out and slowing down as he continues to age. When you're bedded down, do you think about how your days could be numbered as you scratch and turn your muzzle back and forth? When you're bedded down, do you think of those watching you? Spotting scopes focused on your every action and conversations about your latest movements. When you're bedded down, are you aware of your ancestral history? Bear, dog, cat; all distant relatives from sixty million years ago. When you're bedded down, do you think about your family? Alpha female, yearlings, and pups playing in the distance by mossy rocky. When you rise, amateur wildlife enthusiasts awe as you run along the illuminated riverbed as you head toward your morning meal.

I came upon your article while studying for a paper I wanted to write on the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone. I have always loved the outdoors and enjoy the opportunity to see wildlife while backpacking and riding horses in the backcountry of Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. I share your enthusiasm about seeing wolves in the wild, although I am as equally enthusiastic about seeing other forms of wildlife such as deer, elk, and moose. I am finding in my research that there seems to be a huge push to help increase the wolf population, meanwhile everyone seems to be turning their backs and looking in the other direction when it comes to the effects these wolves are haveing on other forms of wildlife. What about the Native Grey Wolf that was already here, alive and well? But now has become another form of prey for this new Canadian wolf, it may become extinct. Why is it that whenever any form of control of wolves is implemented or any form of intervention on behalf of another form of wildlife is taken everyone screams, and shouts! But when wolves damage the popoulations of other forms of wildlife, no one says a peep. Wolves arn't the only form of wildlife out there, the're just new and exciting for most people. But what happens when you take your little family to Yellowstone to see the wildlife and enjoy all the forms of nature and all they really see is wolves? Are other animals important?