Posted on 01/08/2012 2:41:51 PM PST by jazusamo
BEND, Ore. — As wolves spread into Central Oregon, advocates and opponents continue to debate their value. Some say the animals, eradicated from the state decades ago, will help bring the ecosystem into better balance. Others argue the predators were eliminated for good reason.
Since wolves wandered into Oregon from Idaho in 2008, the state has spent about $800,000 to manage them, according to an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife report. That sum will grow by at least a half million dollars over the next couple of years, and the spending could escalate as the number of wolves roaming the state continues to grow.
For wolf supporters, having the animals back in the state's biological fold justifies such costs. For critics, the expenses come in addition to the damage they say the animals are doing to the state's livestock and wildlife.
In evaluating the benefit of wolves in an ecosystem, Bill Ripple, a professor of forest ecosystems and society at Oregon State University, is focusing on streamside plants in Yellowstone National Park. There are about 100 wolves in the park and, as in Idaho, they've been back for a decade and a half.
"Yellowstone seems like a different place than it was before wolves returned in 1995," he said.
The major difference is the resurgence of aspen, willows and cottonwoods along the park's rivers and streams, he said.
Elk regularly munch saplings, Riddle said. And without wolves to keep them in check, the elk devoured most of the young streamside trees.
Now that wolves are back, Ripple said, they've reduced the elk population and trained those that remain to exercise more caution. As a result, elk spend less time snacking on young trees along the park's creeks...
(Excerpt) Read more at therepublic.com ...
Best management tool for wolves is .22-250, 243 Win or something similar.
There may even be better ones on the market like the .25-06.
That's a big assumption! Rare abd safe (as in a cage) is where I'd like to see wolves. ;*)
My call to the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: “There’s a dead wolf in my backyard. Want to send over a couple of your ole boys over here to pick it up or should I just haulem to the dumpster?”
They can certainly keep deer (rats with hooves) from ravaging the forest.
I like looking at deer.
I like killing deer.
I like eating deer.
Playing second fiddle to some mangy ass critter—I don’t think so.
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