From: vkunch@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Virginia P Kunch)
Subject: Re: prospects for unofficial reintroduction of wolves?
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 20:16:18 GMT

In article <1992Jul28.190358.18819@ctr.columbia.edu> goldsman@cc.gatech.edu (Michael G. Goldsman) writes:
>
>Though just a BIT illegal, how unreasonable would it be for a group of 
>environmentalists to trap a few dozen wolves in Minnesota, and then to drive 
>them to Yellowstone, the Adirondacks, or Colorado etc...
>and release them into the wilderness?
>
>If noone knew about it, when they were discovered, it would seem as though
>they had migrated back naturally, and thus, they would be protected under
>the Endangered Species Act ( ---> no compromises with the ranching
>industry necessary)
>
>Would this be THAT expensive?  Would the wolves be in danger of dying
>from natural causes? 
>
>This is just something I'm tossing out into the ether...
>
>Comments? Flames?
>
>
>-Mike
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Mike Goldsman              __o          o__      o__      o__      o__    
>36004 Ga Tech Station    _ \<,_        _.>/ _   _.>/ _   _.>/ _   _.>/ _   
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>begin 600 mikeskey.pub
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I would strongly advise against illegally transporting animals (hypothetically,
of course) to Yellowstone for several reasons:

	1.  Most of the people who would be likely to do this probably have
	limited knowledge of wild wolf behavior (myself included), veterinary
	care (anesthesia, anyone?), and the like.

	2.  Any trouble resulting from the effort would likely set back
	the efforts of wildlife officials working on the planned
	reintroduction. 

	3.  People could mistakenly introduce non-full-blooded wolves.
	There is already controversy about coyote genes, wolf genes, and 
	red wolf genes (i.e., who's a species and who's a sub-species; are
	sub-species protected under the Endangered Species Act and shouuld
	they be?), and the ranchers would likely jump at the chance to
	destroy wolves illegally introduced.

	4.  Also, re: vet care, introducing wolves of unknown background
	could introduce disease to that limited population (such as
	parvovirus).  There are all kinds of veterinary problems associated
	with this option... 

	5.  Has anyone ever TRIED transporting adult wolves?  Well, I have
	and it wasn't something I'd want to do again, if I could help it.
	Pups under about 6 months are okey-dokey, but they likely wouldn't
	be successful enough at survival skills to, well, survive.

	6.  The wolves might try to journey back to their own stomping ground.

	Something like this happened with the Ninemile pack...  It's quite a
	jog from Yellowstone to Minnesota and there are lots of semis in the 
	way.


	I know we're all impatient with the government's red tape, but people
	are lobbying for the expedition of the matter.  If non-professionals (and 
	please don't be offended -- I think most of us, if not all of us on
	this network are non-professionals at this caliber) interfere, it could
	set the whole project back by leaps and bounds.  Meanwhile, let's do
	what we can by writing the appropriate agencies in Washington and to
	our own congressmen (-persons?).

	Just a few thoughts....

	Ginny Kunch
	vkunch@csd4.csd.uwm.edu

Newsgroups: alt.wolves