Idaho Gov. Butch Otter has harsh words for a pro-wolf organization that is ending its program of paying ranchers for livestock killed or injured by wolves.
The group Defenders of Wildlife (DOW) announced on Aug. 20 that it would discontinue its Wolf Compensation Trust, which has paid livestock producers for their wolf-related losses. Otter said the move, coming after a federal judge put Idaho’s wolves back on the endangered species list, is one of many broken promises from the group.
“It now is clear that the organization never intended to keep its commitment to any agreements,” Otter said in an opinion sent to media outlets. He likened the organization to wolves in sheep’s clothing, and said the actions by DOW and the courts are hurting the state.
“Unfortunately, the real tragedy is the continued loss of livestock and the impacts to our ungulate herds,” Otter said.
DOW was one of several conservation groups that sued to stop the delisting of wolves in Idaho and Montana, as well as the two states’ wolf hunts. The governor called the Aug. 5 court decision ending Idaho’s management of wolves inexplicable.
DOW leaders say the nonprofit wants to transition to new partnerships with livestock owners, and money from a new federal program could pay for wolf depredation. DOW has paid out more than $140,000 to Idaho livestock producers this year.
“For nearly a quarter of a century, Defenders’ livestock compensation program has been a resounding success in helping ranchers who live and work in wolf country,” Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife, said in a prepared statement earlier this month. “Without it, recovery of wolves in the western United States would not have been possible.”
An Idaho Department of Fish and Game official told IdahoReporter.com that federal money likely wouldn’t be enough to replace all the money provided by DOW.
Read Otter’s full opinion below.
DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE BREAK ANOTHER PROMISE IT NEVER MEANT TO KEEP
By Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter
In Idaho a promise is a promise. We have lived up to our promise of responsible stewardship of wolves under our approved state management plan. Despite the frustrating federal court decision almost four weeks ago, Idaho remains prepared to manage wolves when State management is once again rightfully restored.
Now that the species will inexplicably receive federal protection, can we expect Defenders of Wildlife to keep its promise to pay for livestock depredations caused by the wolves it fought so hard to bring to Idaho? The answer is no.
Not only did the Defenders of Wildlife sue to overturn delisting and oppose state management, the group now has announced it will break one of its original promises devised to increase public acceptance of this species that was forced upon us by the federal government. That pledge was to reimburse livestock producers for wolf-related impacts while the species remained under federal protection.
With this unfortunate action, and the Defenders of Wildlife’s disingenuous approach to the depredation reimbursements it did make, it now is clear that the organization never intended to keep its commitment to any agreements.
The Defenders of Wildlife has unreasonably opposed state management at every turn. Wolves in sheep’s clothing perhaps? This lack of sincere commitment is not a surprise for those who have wrestled with the wolf issue and Defenders of Wildlife’s compensation program since the wolves were planted here 15 years ago.
More troubling is the group’s conveniently forgotten commitment to support delisting when the species met recovery goals, which we have since 2002. Now we have three times the wolves required for delisting in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, and the Defenders of Wildlife wants to change recovery levels before federal protection is lifted.
The Endangered Species Act does not work and won’t work as long as promises are broken. Unfortunately, the real tragedy is the continued loss of livestock and the impacts to our ungulate herds. Rest assured, I am working with the Office of Species Conservation and Department of Fish and Game to do everything within my power to restore state management and hunting. That’s my promise to every Idahoan and the Defenders of Wildlife.
The only solution that is going to work is for Idaho to exercise the constitutional option of nullification in dealing with all the unconstitutional mandates, laws, and regulations that have been issued out of the various Federal agencies concerning this wolf issue.
Idaho has played this game for 15 years, and has lost each year.
As long as we let the Feds set the agenda and choose the battlefields we are guaranteed to loose.
[...] Otter said Tuesday that Defenders never intended to keep its commitment to any agreements on wolf policy and that he will do everything he can to restore Idaho’s state management of wolves. The Idaho Statesman criticized the group in an editorial in Wednesday’s paper. [...]
[...] Otter said Tuesday that Defenders never intended to keep its commitment to any agreements on wolf policy and that he will do everything he can to restore Idaho’s state management of wolves. The Idaho Statesman criticized the group in an editorial in Wednesday’s paper. [...]