Wolves Gone Wild

Another super predator on the loose kills and mauls people.  These super predators will act on instinct.  Yet in the southwest they are going to release Jaguars in and around our communities.  We all ready have habituated wolves in our yards threatening our children why do we need more super predators.  These super predators will terrorize human communities just as the wolves are doing today.

I am sorry for the victims and my heart goes out to them.  We need to stop believing the disneyesque view of these large predators and understand the dangers that wild wolves and large wild cats pose to humans.

A Siberian tiger escaped from her cage, killing a visitor and mauling two others Tuesday evening at the San Francisco Zoo, almost exactly a year after she attacked her keeper during a feeding, zoo officials said.

Police shot and killed the tiger, named Tatiana, outside the zoo’s Terrace Cafe shortly after 5 p.m. as the park readied to close after a quiet Christmas Day. The 350-pound tiger escaped from her fortified grotto by either jumping or climbing over a moat and a wall and immediately attacked and killed a man in his early 20s just steps away.

Then Tatiana headed for the Terrace Cafe, and attacked and seriously injured two other visitors, said Robert Jenkins, the zoo’s director of animal care and conservation. Jenkins said he was “astounded” by Tatiana’s escape and at a loss to explain how it happened.

The zoo will be closed Wednesday as investigators try to determine how Tatiana escaped her enclosure, which was reinforced after the cat’s first attack two days before Christmas last year.

Police encountered the tiger outside the cafe, as she was mauling a young man who was covered in blood, said San Francisco Police Department Sgt. Steve Mannina. When the four officers moved closer, the tiger turned toward them and they immediately shot and killed her.

Officials did not identify the victims, but said they all were in their early 20s.

KCBS radio reported that the tiger attacked two brothers, ages 18 and 19, and killed a 23-year-old man who was their friend, but that report could not be confirmed.

The surviving victims were taken to San Francisco General Hospital with serious injuries, where they underwent surgery late Tuesday night, said hospital administrator Ruby Martin. The two young men were expected to survive.

Some zoo employees locked themselves in the gift shop as they had been instructed in case of emergency, but would not comment further. Other zoo employees huddled near a zoo entrance hours after the attack also declined to talk to reporters.

The zoo, festooned with holiday decorations, was quickly evacuated after the attacks were reported, while police helicopters hovered overhead and officers swept the grounds to see if others were injured. By 9 p.m., police said all the animals were accounted for and no additional victims had been found. The tigers were moved into locked cages for the night.

According to the zoo’s Web site, the zoo’s two Siberian tigers, Tony and Tatiana, live in an outdoor enclosure near the Lion House. The zoo also has three Sumatran tigers at the west end of the Lion House. Both types of tigers are classified as endangered species.

The attack occurred about a year after Tatiana attacked and seriously injured keeper Lori Komejan’s arm during a regular afternoon feeding at the Lion House.

The California Division of Occupation Safety and Health later ruled the zoo was responsible for that incident, blaming poor training and the way the tiger enclosures were designed.

Zoo officials closed the Lion House for renovations and did not open it until September. Tatiana’s enclosure, which she shared with Tony, was fortified after the 2006 attack, Jenkins said.Safety measures can only help so much when dealing with predators such as tigers, said Chris Austria, an animal trainer who has worked with tigers at Marine World in Vallejo and with bears at the San Francisco Zoo. The attacks likely had little to do with hunger, he said.“San Francisco Zoo has always been very safety-conscious and well-trained,” he said. “But when they’re working with wild animals, they’re very hard to control. When they escape their habitats, they can be very aggressive.” San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom issued a statement saying that he was “deeply saddened” to hear about the attacks and that they would be thoroughly investigated.

We applaud the Mr Pearce and the Alamogordo Daily News reporter Karl Anderson for continuing to bring us the truth on the wolf program in the southwest.

Representative says wolf reintroduction is ‘ineffective’
Alamogordo Daily News
By Karl Anderson, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/20/2007 12:00:00 AM MST
Rep. Stevan Pearce is expressing his discontent with regards to the direction the Mexican gray wolf recovery program is heading in New Mexico.

“I am disappointed more of my colleagues could not see the wisdom in eliminating an unsuccessful, ineffective program that has not only failed to produce results, but also threatens the lives and livelihoods of New Mexicans,” he said. “We have tried the reintroduction program for 10 years and have seen only growing problems and more wolf-human interactions.”

Pearce said he believes the time has come to concede that wolves cannot successfully be reintroduced into New Mexico, and is disappointed Congress has not yet reached that view.

“I will continue working to ensure that we are protected from these captive-bred habituated wolves,” he said. “The Fish and Wildlife Service must take active steps to better manage problem wolves and guarantee that farmers, ranchers, their families, and their livestock are not repeatedly stalked and attacked.

“I will furthermore continue working to educate my colleagues with regards to the problems associated with this program.”

Pearce said the vote by Congress this past June to continue the recovery program was a setback. The congressman said he intends to put more pressure on those who he believes have only wasted tax dollars and created what he termed “a menace within our communities.”
“We have people in the Second District that can’t check their mail without taking a pistol to the mailbox for fear of being attacked,” Pearce said. “Without a federal compensation program for our ranchers, they are forced to bear the cost of lost livestock. They depend on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to manage the wolves off their livestock and property. “Unfortunately, the Service has proven that they are incapable or protecting the ranchers of the Second District from the growing number of captive-bred, habituated, problem wolves in the recovery program.”

But according to Eva Sargent, Southwest director for Defenders of Wildlife, the non-profit agency has and continues to reimburse ranchers for losses suffered by wolves.

“We have paid out nearly $100,000 since 1998,” she said in a recent interview. “That amount represents what we paid out collectively between 25 and 30 ranches, all of which were in New Mexico, Arizona or on the White Mountain Apache Reservation.”

Sargent said the program replaces specific animals.

“We pay fair market value,” she said. “If someone loses a heifer, for example, it replaces that heifer. So it replaces an animal that could have produced young with another that can produce young.”

“The congressman is familiar with that program,” said Brian Phillips, press secretary for Pearce. “The congressman has received feedback that tells us ranchers are not very happy with that program.”

Pearce said since its inception, the Mexican gray wolf reentry program has spent more than $14 million and released just 59 wolves at a cost of over $237,000 per wolf.

“This year, one out of every five of those wolves will be deemed ‘problem wolves’ and require that the (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) hunt them down and removed them from the wild. The USFWS also spent additional resources on educating residents on how to protect themselves if they encounter wolves on their property.”

Pearce cited several reports he received from constituents who have witnessed numerous attacks by wolves.

“I have pictures of wolf tracks leading up to a corral right by someone’s house,” he said. “I have seen the bloody carcasses of livestock that have been attacked and eaten.

“We need to approach the problem with a little common sense.

“In the meantime, we shouldn’t be wasting more and more resources on a failed program that puts people’s lives and livelihoods in danger.”

Orginal Story

Troubling wolf behavior reported
Fairbanks Daily News Miner
By Tim Mowry
Staff Writer
Published December 8, 2007

The furor caused by a bold, dog-eating pack of wolves in Two Rivers escalated on Friday when the Department of Fish and Game received an unconfirmed report of a wolf following a person near 15 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road.

“I got a phone call from someone who described a situation where a person was followed by a wolf,” said department spokeswoman Cathie Harms, reached by cell phone shortly after a press release about the incident was issued at 5 p.m. “If this is true, this is not a good sign.”

Officials hadn’t talked to the person who was allegedly followed and knew only that it was a “young person,” Harms said.

“All I know is it’s something we need to check on,” she said. “If it’s true, it’s the next level of habituation.”

Wolves can become habituated and lose their fear of humans when they approach people with no negative response, Harms said. Habituation can progress to the point where wolves show aggression toward people but so far that’s not the case, she said. In all of the previous accounts of wolf encounters with people in the area, the wolves ran away from people, Harms said.

“But if a wolf did follow someone, that indicates a higher level of habituation, which is grounds for concern,” she said.

The report came from almost the same place where the Department of Fish and Game is holding a public meeting on Sunday to discuss concerns over the wolves, which have been roaming back and forth between Two Rivers and North Pole for more than a month.

At least three dogs have been killed and eaten — two in Two Rivers and one in North Pole — and several residents living along Chena Hot Springs Road have reported seeing wolves in their yards or on trails in the area. State wildlife officials suspect it’s the same pack of five or six wolves that killed the dogs and have been seen by residents.

Department staff are following up on Friday’s report and hope to find out more before Sunday’s 5 p.m. meeting at the Two Rivers Church of the Nazarene, located at 14.9 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road. Biologists will share what information they have collected about the wolf pack at the meeting and will try to answer as many questions as possible, Harms said.

Several residents in the area have expressed concern about the safety of their children with wolves in the area and wildlife officials encourage parents to accompany their children to and from bus stops or while playing outside, Harms said.

If confronted by a wolf, a person should face the animal and either stand their ground or slowly back away, said Harms.

“Running from an aggressive dog increases the chance of a bite, and it’s similar for wolves,” she said.

If residents see wolves around their homes or on the trails, Harms said they should try to make the wolves uncomfortable by making loud noises, shooting at them or frightening them in a way that will encourage them to avoid humans.

Wolves can be shot in defense of life or property if they threaten people or domestic animals, Harms noted. She also said that hunting and trapping season for wolves is open as long as you have a hunting or trapping license. It should be noted, however, that it is illegal to shoot a wolf with a .22-caliber rifle because wolves are classified as big game in Alaska.

Contact staff writer Tim Mowry at 459-7587.

from today’s editorial page of the Albuquerque Journal! They get it!!!!

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Big Bad Wolf Scarier When It’s Right Outside By

Two schoolchildren in Reserve say they were followed by a wolf while walking from their bus stop to their home about a half-mile away. Because of that and incidents of attacks on pets and killing of livestock by the reintroduced wolves, Reserve Independent Schools Superintendent Loren Cushman decided to wolf-proof school bus stops. Some proponents of the Mexican gray wolf reintroduction deride the shelters as a public relations ploy. Others merely dismiss it as overreaction or hysteria. There’s little evidence that the wolves pose any real threat, they argue, and there has been only one recorded case of a human being killed by wolves in North America in the last 100 years. A century of experience with wild wolves, however, may not be the most accurate predictor of the behavior of these wolves. Raised in captivity in closer contact with humans than their ancestors would ever choose to be, they were fed instead of having to hunt down lunch, then set loose to figure out how to live in a different kind of world. These wolves come with no guarantees. Following children could be a behavior rooted in curiosity, not hunger. But it is easy to predict that most human mothers aren’t going to ponder the behavior of wolves if it involves their own pups. Superintendent Cushman said building the wolf-proof shelters, regardless of “whether a person is pro or con wolf,” is the right thing to do. Reserve parents and school officials say they feel better having a safe place for kids. It’s their decision to make, and it’s not costing taxpayers anywhere else in the state anything. It’s easy for city dwellers to mock or discount rural residents anxieties— too easy

This wolf, which weighs as much as 180 pounds, escaped on the 29th and the owner failed to report the escape as a responsible citizen would do.  There has also been time to see if this animal was property registered and tagged.  Communities were put at risk when this habituated wolf was allowed to run free. This person should be charged with endangering children.  This owner should be in some hot water.

Escaped wolf captured and put down in Owyhee County
Idaho Press-Tribune Staff
newsroom@idahopress.com 
Updated 13 hours 51 minutes ago
A domesticated wolf at large in Owyhee County was captured and put down today after a resident spotted the injured animal this morning.

The animal is thought to have killed one sheep and maimed two others after escaping from its pen in late October.
A deputy from the Owyhee County Sheriff’s Office and an official from Idaho Fish and Game Conservation responded to the residence where the wolf had been located around 10:30 a.m. The animal appeared injured on one leg and the Fish and Game officer decided the only option was to destroy the animal.

Officials had feared that the animal might pose a danger to humans, due to its familiarity with people, spurring a week-long search by multiple agencies.

Authorities originally planned to capture the animal, but officials with the Owyhee County Sheriff’s Office said that the wolf was destroyed when they determined it could not be approached close enough to tranquilize.

It is legal in Idaho to own wolves or hybrids that display wolf characteristics, provided that a $10 annual permit is obtained for each animal. The animal’s ears must also be tattooed to help distinguish them from wild wolves in the event of an escape.

An investigation is ongoing into whether or not the escaped wolf had the required tattoo— and whether or not the owner violated a requirement that she quickly report the escape.
Original Story

Another posting from WolfCrossing.org showing how dangerious these habituated Mexican gray wolves are.  The environMental extreme claim the wolves are not dangerous and will run away.   Another unsafe wolf encounter.  When will the public be told the truth instead of the Disney G rated version of wolves.  Wolves are dangerous predators.  Habituated wolves are even more dangerous.  

This is the same Luna wolf pack noted for encircling a boy a little less than a year ago.

On Monday night November 5th at 10:00 PM our deer hunting camp on the West Fork of the Gila River, was terrorized by a pack of wolves estimated to be 4 to 6 in number. They came right into our camp howling right between our hunters tent and the cook tent and then just on the other side of the guide’s tent. We had our horses and mules high lined at the camp and when we started hearing the wolves growl right next to the horses, we got up and tried to run them out. We walked down to the end of the highlines, with several thousands of dollars worth of horse and mule fllesh tied up and it probably looked like a smorgage board or shish kabob to the wolves, and it became quiet for a little while. We went back to the tent, and then the wolves moved back in and started howling again.

My son Brian went back down to protect the animals by getting between them and the wolves, and then the wolves really set up a racket of a combination of howling, yap barking, growling and snapping their teeth. They were really intimidated by him being there. It sounded like 4 to 6 wolves and my son held his ground in the pitch black of night and had to stay there for probably 30 minutes before he was satisfied they had maybe left. Needless to say we didn’t get much sleep the rest of the night. Brian said it litterally scared the hell out of him!

Our three hunters from the San Antonio, TX area were really scared, so much so they stayed real quiet through the whole ordeal in fear that the wolves might hear them and come to their tent, which is where the first howls came from. They literally can not believe what the Government is doing to the people here by putting the wolves back. The old timers got rid of them for good reason.
Over the last several years we have had wolves howling out side of our camp but never had them come right through camp and absolutely have no fear of humans or human scent. They acted very aggressive and especially so when my son confronted them the last time. They really became excited. These wolves are absolutely a danger to humans and livestock as they seemed to not even care about human scent like most wild animals.

We think Nick Smith used to camp where we were camped, when he was packing elk meat and dog food in a few years ago to feed the wolves. We had heard the wolfer airplane circling in the TurkeyFeather Mountain area earlier that day and the tracks confirmed they had come up out of Cooper Canyon and Iron Creek on the trail and over Turkey Feather Pass and down to the West Fork of the Gila and returned out the same way. There were wolf tracks on the trail for about 5 miles.

When we came out yesterday on Thursday November 8th, we met a group of male back packers who were camped on the confluence of Cooper Canyon and Iron Creek and they related a story to my hunters who were on the back of our packstring, and I didn’t get to talk to, as I had passed by them, or I would have gotten a name and info from them. They said that on Wednesday evening that they were above camp gathering firewood when they noticed movement and the saw the wolves and evidently the wolves made a move toward them and they ran back to camp and one of them climbed up in a tree and waited until the wolves left. They were terrified!

full posting from WolfCrossing.org

Old story but another case of convincing the public to spend their tax dollars protecting hybrid wolves and using the Endangered Species Act to do so.

Wayne listed in the article was also instrumental in the genetics studies on the hybrid Mexican Wolves.  Wayne has a financial stake in protecting these wolves as his salery and contracts are paid by tax dollars to protect wolves….not hybrids but read the story and see how the data and facts are slanted.

Conserving a coyote in wolf’s clothing? - whether the red wolf is a separate species or a hybrid not eligible for protection

Science News, June 15, 1991 by Carol Ezzell - Orginal Story

Conservationists who seek to preserve the North American red wolf as a unique species may be barking up the wrong tree. For decades, the red wolf has been nearly indistinguishable genetically from either the gray wolf or the coyote, report two population geneticists who have compared DNA “fingerprints” from captive red wolves with those from frozen blood samples and museum skins.

The finding is expected to fuel the debate over whether the red wolf is a separate species — eligible for conservation under the Endangered Species Actor a hybrid resulting from years of cross-breeding between overlapping populations of gray wolves and coyotes. In general, such hybrids are excluded from protection under the conservation law.

The red wolf became extinct in the wild in 1975, falling prey to systematic hunting and human encroachment into its habitat in the southeastern United States. But just before the last of the red wolves died off, ecologists rounded up several mating pairs and used them to found a captive breeding colony sponsored under the Endangered Species Act. The breeding program has released 25 of its 170 live red wolves into protected areas in North Carolina and on several southeastern coastal islands.

To probe the red wolf’s ancestry, Robert K. Wayne of the University of California, Los Angeles, and Susan M. Jenks of the University of California, San Francisco, analyzed mitochondrial DNA samples from the captive colony. Because DNA in the mitochondria — the cell’s energy-producing organelles — mutates more rapidly than DNA in the nucleus, Wayne and Jenks hoped it would provide a clearer picture of the animal’s heritage.

The researchers chopped up mitochondrial DNA taken from the captive red wolves and sorted the pieces on a gel slab according to their size. The fragments formed a characteristic pattern, or DNA fingerprint, identical to that of coyote mitochondrial DNA.

“We were somewhat disappointed,” says Wayne, now head of conservation biology for the Zoological Society of London. “We were hoping to find a unique red wolf [gene pattern].”

He and Jenks then turned to frozen samples of blood drawn from 32 wild red wolves before the extinction. More than 80 percent of the samples yielded mitochondrial DNA identical to that of coyotes, and the rest proved identical to gray wolves.

Finally, the researchers examined mitochondrial DNA extracted from six pelts collected from red wolves between 1905 and 1930. All the pelts’ DNA fingerprints matched those of either gray wolves or coyotes.

Jenks (now at the University of California, Berkeley) and Wayne report in the June 13 NATURE that their results could support either of two conclusions: that the red wolf is a true hybrid, or that it picked up the genetic similarities sometime in the distant past when its diminishing numbers caused it to mate with gray wolves or coyotes out of desperation.

Either way, Wayne contends that the red wolf should continue to be conserved. “No matter what it was — hybrid or separate species — what is being bred today in the captive colony is representative of what was in the wild,” he argues. “In that sense, we ought to preserve it.”

Doug Inkley, an ecologist with the National Wildlife Federation in Washington, D.C., points out that the red wolf, as a top predator, was important in maintaining the balance of species in the ecosystems in which it lived. The Endangered Species Act specifically provides protection for such key predators, he told SCIENCE NEWS, whether or not they are genetically distinct.

But in an editorial accompanying Wayne and Jenks’ paper, zoologists John L. Gittleman and Stuart L. Pimm of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville suggest the red wolf may be getting more protection than it deserves. The reintroduction program, they contend, is not likely to benefit the red wolf because the animal’s genetic identity will only be obscured once again by mating with coyotes. In addition, they argue that the important ecological role once performed by red wolves is now being filled by other predators. Gittleman and Pimm question whether “the red wolf’s undeniable cuddliness is enough to warrant according it special attention.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is taking a wait-and-see attitude. “We’re just getting a few bits and pieces of the puzzle,” says Gary Henry, coordinator of the agency’s red wolf conservation program in Asheville N.C. “There needs to be a lot more work done before we’ll ever finally sort this out.”
COPYRIGHT 1991 Science Service, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

Note in this article how little Holly Tarry, state director for the Humane Society knows about wildlife. She shows she knows little about predators prey testing or how animals will forage in human communities if their populations are not kept in bounds. I am sure if her door was ripped off her home by a foraging bear she would understand this bear has no desire to naturally reduce his population by missing meals.

I am glad that CO is taking measures to protect communities and human life.

Wildlife officials mull thinning population after record year of trouble

Joel Stonington Aspen, CO Colorado Orginal Story

November 15, 2007

ASPEN — A record-breaking year for bear activity is finally winding down, but the number of human-bear interactions is sparking a conversation about thinning the bruin population, state Division of Wildlife officials said Wednesday.

“We’re talking about, biologically, if development, human population growth, recreation use and energy use have reduced bear habitat to the point where we need to reduce the bear population in the state of Colorado,” said Wildlife Division spokesman Randy Hampton.

This year might break state records. It certainly did so in Pitkin County, where 13 bears were euthanized, 24 relocated and four cubs were taken to a rehabilitation center.

“It’s a record year for relocations, cubs taken to the rehabilitation center, road kill, bears that we had to put down, all of those things,” Hampton said. “It was — I say was — I’m hoping it has passed, it was a tough year.”

The possibility of thinning the bear population or of increasing the number of bear hunting permits, however, has some locals and state environmental groups worried.

“It’s upsetting news,” said Holly Tarry, state director for the Humane Society. “Black bear populations manage themselves based on the resources that are available to them. Keeping them out of human areas is a human responsibility. We’re very disappointed that thinning would be an option.”

Hampton said the Division of Wildlife has been pushing education efforts regarding trash, and he praised local lawmakers for increasing fines for bear-related violations. However, he doesn’t believe the education and enforcement efforts have been successful enough.

“[Aspen has] such a transient population, in terms of people who come for a week and leave,” Hampton said. “We have tourists who are not used to living in those communities. There are challenges to exerting that kind of [educational] effort.”

The wildlife agency is running out of places to relocate bears after such an intense summer, and different interest groups are pushing in many different directions. Hampton said ranchers are pressuring the DOW to kill more bears, while Tarry said the solution is in ramping up enforcement and education instead of putting money into efforts like thinning or beefing up the hunting season.

“If it were just managing bears, it would be easy, but people play such a role in this,” Hampton said. “Managing people and wildlife is one heck of a challenge.”

Aspen’s low spring moisture and late spring frosts made for a low supply of natural food for bears, leading many bruins into the community to wreak havoc on trash cans, cars, houses and a few residents.

Some areas, such as Colorado Springs and Pueblo, had good moisture in the spring and ended up with regular to low numbers of bear calls. The bear problems in Aspen, Pitkin County and other Western Slope areas were severe enough to drive the state average toward record-breaking numbers.

Bears were a major safety concern in the upper valley. Aspen community safety officers say they spent roughly a third of their time this summer dealing with bear problems. For example, there were 435 calls to 911 between July 30 and Oct. 24 for bear-related issues.

“There were a lot of bears just being bears,” said Melissa Clare, a community safety officer with the Aspen police.

It was when the bears get into trash cans, houses and cars, however, that things got dangerous for people and officers. A bear charged Clare during the summer after she fired a beanbag at it after it had entered a house. When she fired a second round at the charging bear, it turned and ran away.

Two upper valley residents were not as lucky: A bear entered Judith Garrison’s Aspen condo about 1:30 a.m. Oct. 17. The woman surprised the bear in the kitchen, and it clawed her in the face, causing serious injuries. On Oct. 11, a bear attacked 71-year-old John Clark in his garage on East Sopris Creek in Snowmass.

The DOW tracked down and killed the bears that attacked Garrison and Clark.

“There are still a couple of bears roaming around,” Hampton said. “It’s going to take another good snowfall or two to fully convince them to head for their dens. It’s the older male bears who are out there. Most of the sows and cubs have headed for the dens.”

Though some of those older male bears have been known to stay out all winter, most are now hibernating for the winter. He said it’s unclear at this point whether bears will die of starvation during the winter, though it is a concern.

The biggest concern for the DOW, however, is getting this difficult bear season over with.

“For the sake of the bears and the sake of the Aspen Skiing Co., the sooner the snow flies the better,” Hampton said. “We’re just as anxious for snow as everyone else. We’d like to put the bears away for the winter.”

Release the Mongrel Mexican Gray Wolves

In a recent article by… the author suggests shipping some Alaskan wolves to California to help reduce the beaver problem in Martinez California.

Martinez, Calif., has a wildlife problem: Too many beavers, and nobody wants them killed. Well, almost nobody.
Alaska has a wildlife problem: Too many wolves, and nobody wants them killed. Well, almost nobody.
Is it possible these two problems could be brought together in one easy, perfectly natural solution?
Wolves love beavers.

OK, they don’t actually “love'’ beavers; they love to eat beavers.
And that could be a good thing in this case. Think of it as the perfectly natural way to deal with what the San Francisco Chronicle headlined as the “fate of popular beavers and their damned dam.'’
Bringing the wolves and the beavers together certainly has to beat the alternatives.

“The beaver dam, built right on a recently completed flood improvement project, has grown from three to six feet in height since last winter, putting the town in serious jeopardy of being inundated during winter rains,'’ the Chronicle’s Peter Fimrite reported earlier this month.

For a city to end up flooded by its own flood improvement project would not only be costly, it would be embarrassing. So Martinez has resolved something needs to be done.

“The (city) staff report, made public Friday, says the city should remove the dam and ‘humanely depredate the beavers,’ ‘’ Fimrite wrote. (read the full story)

I must praise this author for not only thinking environmentally but thinking about what is best for California. I grant Craig Medred my Wolf Award for excellence.

The author is right, after all after culling the beavers to only the strong (or that whole population of beavers as happened to snowshoe hair on Ellesmere Island) the wolves will set out on other prey no doubt culling a few radical environmentalists from the human herd. But no doubt the wolves will improve the breed of beavers so only the best live.

This author is on to a great idea that all the Californians that support the wolf program and dysfunctional hybrid Mexican gray wolf program with their donations, get to have a few wolves in their yards too. I think New Mexicans can improve on the Alaskan solution.

Your Alaskan wolves are not ready for the urban environment like our habituated Mexican gray wolves. Why because our half breed cage raised Mexican Mongrel Gray Wolves are much tamer and already have been hanging around human communites into an art form. They are even up on some of their shots…well not rabies but who is counting (those vaccines are bad right?).

So often the Mexican gray wolves even visit our yards leaving our dead and maimed pets or other little presents in our yards. I have heard at the Academy Awards the celebrities love getting gifts. So I am sure they would enjoy the presents that the mongrel Mexican Gray Wolves would leave them.

California celebrities would also be glad to hear about our new thinner elk and how they got there with a type of wasp waist. Might even be the new diet craze called Chronic Wasting Disease which is present now in our elk herds (spred by wolves and other predators) but those poking out hip bones look really sexy.

The habituated Mexican Gray Wolf will no doubt settle into the Martinez and other urban communities of Contra Costa County like they have here in our counties in New Mexico. These wolves are constantly around our homes so no doubt they will be much happier in an urban environment than the northern wolf.

These hybrid wolves also know how to den near homes so California kids will be able to share in the joys of watching the pups grown and slaughter their pets and livestock as is common here in New Mexico. No need to watch the biased wolf documentaries on National Geographic. Reduction of TV time for children another great benefit to these wolves.

Our wolves here are already well acquainted to the use of gunfire, rubber bullets and other hazing techniques so California will no doubt be a safe haven for them. Heck they can just hang out with the gang bangers and do a little tagging like they already do around our homes here. (I could link up the pictures of wolf poop on our porches but I will spare you)

Our wolves here are so tame they are even stalking (oops I mean following) school children home from school. While our Governor (and presidential candidate) Bill Richardson thinks it is wonderful and throws is support to wolf awareness week, I cannot wait to see what they will do in California. Maybe they will create a wolf holiday for the stalking wolf or change their state flag to the wolf.

Here the wolves also have not faired so well having to cross 100s of miles to find communities to use in gathering their food. In California with a much denser population, the mongrel Mexican Gray wolves should have an easier time in finding pets and other food to eat.

I am sure unlike people in New Mexico that understand fully that wolves stalking and encircling children is a prey testing for future attacks, in California they will think the wolves were just curious and wanted to be taken home and cuddled (the wolves were just misunderstood).

One family here has had a pack constantly eating their pets and livestock and has visited them over 27 times in 30 days. No doubt in California they will be charging admission. Then instead of Defenders of Wildlife posters of wolves looking cute on their walls they can see real wolves in action killing their pets. Then we can blame them for letting their pet out for a few seconds to go pee outside instead of on their livingroom rug. Here in New Mexico the blame game is all to popular by goverment officals.

Of course what would California be without lawyer suing when the wolves get aggressive and do what wolves historically do and environmental groups suing to protect the wolves, along with someone else suing to protect the beaver’s property rights to their dam.

With the expansion of the Wolf reintroduction boundaries of the Mexican Gray Wolf program…wolves will soon disperse to California so it is only a matter of time. Lets help them out and send them a few wolves now. I mean no disrespect but I am also not sure your Alaskan wolves can match the spiked up genetics of our Mexican gray wolves.

Donations for private plane transportation now being accepted. After all you cannot expect these expensive ($300,000+ tax dollers per wolf) wolves to fly coach. They must fly Al Gore style.

The self professed wolf expert, Dr. Paul Paquet, that strung this court along and the Carnegie family along with is incorrect “expert”.  This important public safety information has been delayed for over 2 years due to his lies in trying to rewrite what the evidence and eye witnesses clearly saw.   This was not only a miscarriage of justice to the family but put public safety at risk.

I recommend that all data, science and studies reviewed or authored by Dr. Paul Paquet shall be removed from the records of the wolf program and all his information shall be researched again by an independent source.  If this man cannot properly identify a bear or wolf track or even clearly review a mountain of evidence pointing to wolves, what other misinformation has he perpetuated on the current wolf science?