All three Rocky Mountain states were required to submit wolf management plans for a delisted population before Thursday's announcement, and they have agreed to maintain a minimum population of about 150 wolves per state. Ed Bangs, Fish and Wildlife's wolf recovery coordinator, who headed the reintroduction effort, predicted that the regional population would not fall below 900 to 1,200 wolves.
"It's a pretty good feeling to know this final part of this recovery project is happening, and the future conservation of wolves is secure in state hands," he said.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday, February 23, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 2 inches; 65 words Type of Material: Correction
Wolf delisting: An article in Friday's Section A about wolves being taken off the endangered species list said a UCLA study found about four years ago that the population of gray wolves in the Yellowstone area was genetically isolated and not breeding with other reintroduced populations in the northern Rockies area. The research was commissioned four years ago, but the findings were published last year.
In Wyoming, the state Game and Fish Department will maintain at least seven breeding pairs, or half the current number, outside Yellowstone National Park, Bangs said. The term "breeding pair" refers to a successfully reproducing wolf pack; a pack usually includes about 14 animals, he said.
The Wyoming plan classifies some wolf populations as "trophy game animals," subject to certain rules including kill limits, and others are deemed "predatory," allowing wolves "to be taken at any time by anybody," said Eric Keszler, a spokesman for the Game and Fish Department. This includes methods such as baiting and aerial shooting, he said.
About 724 wolves have been killed in the region since 1987 because of conflicts with livestock, Bangs said.
In Idaho, which has about 732 wolves, the plan calls for maintaining a population of about 500 to 700 animals.
"We're not going to drop these populations down to minimum levels," said Steve Nadeau, who oversees the wolf program for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. "The state has a plan to stabilize these populations, and we realize that wolf populations are here to stay, and we're going to do a good job at managing them," Nadeau said. "The whole world is watching, and we know it."
Montana officials said they probably would try to maintain the current level of about 422 wolves, allowing hunters to kill only the 24% surplus.
If the numbers fell below minimum levels for three consecutive years, relisting would be considered, Bangs said.
Some scientists say the delisting does not take into account the long-term genetic viability and sustainment of the wolf population in the Rockies.
About four years ago, a UCLA study found that the population of gray wolves in the Yellowstone area was genetically isolated and not breeding with other reintroduced populations in the northern Rockies area.
But state and wildlife officials say that the research doesn't extend to all three states and that it makes unrealistic assumptions.
"The whole goal for listing wolves is to delist wolves, and why would you not want to do that if everything is ready to go?" Nadeau said. "It's just a success, and it's time to let the states . . . get on with managing wolves as they're meant to be managed."
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tami.abdollah@latimes.com
