Rolf Peterson: On Stupak's recommendation to delist gray wolf

Editor's Note: U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) recently urged the U.S. Department of the Interior to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and complete the transition back to state management. In a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Stupak noted that estimates from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) place the gray wolf population in Michigan at approximately 580 wolves in 2009, demonstrating a sustained recovery of the gray wolf, which in 1960 had been virtually eliminated from northern Michigan.*

Keweenaw Now invited Rolf Peterson, Michigan Tech wildlife ecologist, who has led the Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Predator-Prey Study for more than 35 years, to comment on Rep. Stupak's recommendation. Here is Rolf Peterson's reply:

By Rolf Peterson

I think Stupak's endorsement of wolf delisting is appropriate. The recovery goals for wolves in the Great Lakes Region have been met and surpassed for over a decade. When wolves are listed as endangered by the federal government, state authorities can't deal effectively with wolves that are killing livestock, so that is an important change needed (and that is the critical change needed in the short term).

If wolves were listed as threatened, as in Minnesota, then wildlife authorities could use lethal control on depredating wolves, but that would still be a federal listing that was not recommended in either the federal or state recovery plan.

It makes most sense to stick to the recovery plans carefully prepared by specialists at both federal and state levels. Michigan has done an excellent job of enforcing wolf protection laws; and the state is in a better position to do this than the federal government, consistent with the state recovery plan.

Should there be concern for public safety? Like most wild animals, wolves can be dangerous (a teacher was killed in Alaska last week while jogging in a remote area -- the first such case in modern times in the U.S.) but wolves are not considered an important threat to human safety.

Regardless whether or when wolves are delisted, wolves on Isle Royale will be fully protected because they reside in a national park.

*Editor's Note, cont.: Click here for the rest of Rep. Stupak's press release.

Rolf Peterson will speak on "The Wolves of Isle Royale" at 7 p.m. Friday, March 19, in Marquette -- the kickoff event for the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition's UP Celebration.