Idaho Fish & Game Director Virgil Moore said this morning that the agency halted its wolf eradication plan in the Frank Church—River of No Return Wilderness yesterday because it “had been ineffective in the last 2 weeks on taking any additional wolves.” (a total of 9 were killed).

Moore called the wilderness operation “very similar” to past years’ efforts in the Lolo zone to reduce wolf numbers, though those relied mainly on aerial shooting and trapping. The operation in the Frank Church wilderness “differed because we put one of our folks back there,” he said.

Read more from the The Spokesman-Review.

Whether it was the onus of defending its actions before a federal appeals court or the agency’s sense of “mission accomplished,” one thing is clear – it is essential that the U.S. Forest Service take its public trust responsibility to protect the wilderness and native wildlife more seriously.

Please join the Wolf Conservation Center and take action by contacting the Chief of the Forest Service, Tom Tidwell, at ttidwell@fs.fed.us to remind him:

• Our Nation’s Wilderness areas are places for wildlife to remain as wild as is possible in today’s modern world
• Our Nation’s Wilderness areas are meant to be governed by natural conditions, not special interest groups.

Please be sure to tell Mr. Tidwell  this is not just an issue for one Idaho Wilderness area, but the US Wilderness system.

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