AUTHOR: Alliance for the Wild Rockies (Wild Rockies News Alert)

The Bad News:

The entire Whitehawk Wolf Pack (in South Central Idaho's Boulder White Cloud Mountains) was killed this weekend, thus ending the lives of 9 magnificent endangered species (including the pregnant alpha female) and wasting thousands of hours of volunteer time that was spent keeping the wolves and sheep apart.

This is the same wolf pack that the Wildlife Guardians spent thousands of volunteer hours with to SUCCESSFULLY keep them away from the sheep that share the same area last summer.

This is all happening in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) which is designated for wildlife and wilderness protection and the activities that take place to enjoy these wildlands, HOWEVER.....

The livestock industry continually dictates what happens in the SNRA, no matter the designations of the land. This pack was completely destroyed once before in this same area. This is prime wolf habitat and it will continue to be filled with yet another pack.

Simply removing the pack will not remove the problem, other wolves will move in. The problem is the livestock producers assuming ownership and rights to this land that is PROVEN wolf habitat. How many packs will they go through before they realize this?

The Reason (or so they say): Minor wolf "depredations" in the East Fork of the Salmon River drainage -- 1 lamb and 2 cow calves.

The cost to kill the wolves will be around $13,500; the value of the dead livestock is less than $300. (for which the ranchers will be reimbursed).

This control action is doubly troubling because wolf "depredations" of livestock have been declining since 1997 despite a large increase in the number of wolves. It sure seems like "good wolf behavior" and cooperation among people goes unrewarded while the the opposition gets their way.

Question: If the East Fork (IDAHO) ranchers now have a free 45 day permit to shoot any wolf they see on their property, why is the government using your tax dollars to do their dirty work from a helicopter?

Other bad news leading up to this: The control of the Ninemile Pack in the Ninemile Valley in Montana.

Two males were gunned down from a helicopter because they were suspected of being the "problem wolves", only to find out a few days later that they died for no reason as another llama was killed. Llamas, not cattle. Now they are saying the entire pack will be taken out, for killing three llamas that were not properly protected in a well-known wolf territory.

The Sheep Mountain pack is now short 3 key members and the famous Druid pack short one member because of a similar "killing spree" last week in the Paradise Valley North of Yellowstone

The four wolves were found simply CHASING horses and then feeding on an aborted calf. There were NO killings, except for the killings that ended the lives of the wolves.

Idaho Stats: USFWS figures for livestock killed by year in Idaho.

• 1995 (Year of reintroduction):
  0 cattle
  0 sheep
  
• 1996:
  4 cattle
  24 sheep
  
• 1997:
  1 cow
  29 sheep
  
• 1998:
  10 cattle
  5 sheep
  
• 1999:
  16 cattle
  57 sheep
  
• 2000:
  15 cattle
  39 sheep
  
• 2001:
  10 cattle
  16 sheep

What you can do....WRITE/CALL/VOICE YOUR OUTRAGE!!!

The agencies responsible for the killing are:

1. United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

Contact: Ed Bangs
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Helena, Montana
telephone: (406) 449-5225 extension 204
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ed Bangs is in charge of all federal wolf "management" in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Boise Field Office Contact: Carter Niemeyer
telephone: (208) 378-5639
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (or if that does not go through) try: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Carter Niemeyer is in charge of all wolf "management" in Idaho; he works under Ed Bangs. Carter is directly responsible for the order to kill the White Hawk Pack.

2. Wildlife Services ( A Federal Agency which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Idaho State Office, Boise, Idaho
Contact: Mark Collinge
telephone: (208) 378-5077
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Mark Collinge is in charge of all federal government killing of predators and other animals ranchers dislike in Idaho. His employees carry out the helicopter gunning of the wolves.

3. Nez Perce Tribe

Contact: Curt Mack
Telephone: 208-634-1061 (McCall, Idaho)
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Alliance wants to thank Western Watersheds (one of our Member Groups) for their incredible dedication to the wolves and their perseverance in getting this list together for our members and activists! Together we have to fight, we cannot give up! The wolves need us to be strong and be loud right now!! Please take a minute to write or call and voice your outrage of this continued killing spree!!

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