Press Release: State commission refuses to consider proposal to protect wolves, livestock

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 2015

CONTACT: Dr. Maureen Hackett, Howling For Wolves, 612.250.5915 or Leslie Rosedahl, LWRosedahl@locklaw.com, 651.353.1818

State commission refuses to consider proposal to protect wolves, livestock

(St. Paul, Minn) –  A proposal to fund scientific research for effective non-lethal methods to prevent wolf-livestock conflicts in Minnesota was not granted a hearing by the state’s commission tasked with awarding over $46 million in grants. Earlier today, the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources  (LCCMR) narrowed a list of grant applicants to invite in for presentations and further consideration, but left out the proposal to partner with livestock producers to research the best practices for deterring wolves.

“This is extremely disappointing. If we’re serious about the recovery of Minnesota’s wolf population, we need to look at solutions that allow the wolf to existence with our livestock economy,” said Dr. Maureen Hackett, Founder and President of Howling For Wolves, the non-profit sponsoring the grant proposal.

Wolf-livestock conflicts are already rare in Minnesota, but the state is currently doing nothing to help farmers in areas where they do occur. Instead, wolf predation on livestock is dealt with after the fact, as famers are required to apply for reimbursement for their losses and wolves in the area are then targeted and killed.

“Our current approach is a lose-lose for conservationists and farmers alike,” said Hackett. “It is critical to work together with livestock producers in taking steps to prevent and reduce wolf-livestock conflicts. In so doing we will assure the long-term recovery  of Minnesota’s endangered gray wolf while using funds wisely for programs including the reimbursement of farmers for predation by wolves on livestock.”

Today’s denial of a hearing is the third time in three years that the LCCMR has refused to even consider research on the implementation and use of nonlethal methods to prevent wolf-livestock conflicts.  “We have never even had the chance to explain to the committee that the recovery of wolves is critical to water resources and to healthy forest habitats,” added Hackett. “This is about wildlife habitat in general, too.”

“This is a setback, but we will not give up working toward finding solutions that protect wolves and the habitat in which they live and maintain. We will continue our efforts at the legislature to collaborate with state agencies to promote non-lethal methods, and we will keep pushing the LCCMR to recognize this urgent environmental issue.”

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Howling For Wolves (HFW) is a wolf advocacy organization that aims to educate the public and policy-makers about wolves to foster understanding and tolerance, and to ensure their long-term survival in Minnesota. HFW seeks innovative non-lethal solutions for conflict prevention and coexistence where wolves are perceived to be a threat. We oppose the random killing of non-problem wolves for sport and the cruel methods utilized. HFW current efforts focus on the Minnesota’s gray wolves, which is the largest and only original wolf population remaining in the lower 48 states that never went extinct.