New Hope for Red Wolves?

Red wolf

The red wolf currently numbers around seven collared individuals and a dozen or so uncollared individuals in the wilds of northeastern North Carolina, making it one of the most critically endangered species in the U.S. The vast majority of these wild individuals reside in 1.7 million acres of public and private land in Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington counties. Meanwhile, more than 200 animals live in captive facilities across the country. With such a low population, it is no wonder that a federal judge ruled last week that the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) must release captive wolves into the management area. The judge, Terrence Boyle of North Carolina's Eastern District, joined with conservation groups concluding that the agency was "likely" in violation of the Endangered Species Act and must take urgent actions to save the wolves. In response to a 2018 federal notice by the FWS that current controls limit the release of captive wolves, Judge Boyle stated that their future depended on it. He also overruled the agency in October 2020 in a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, when he ordered the FWS to revise its red wolf management plan by February 2023. In authorizing plaintiffs' motion for preliminary ruling, he ordered the agency to establish a plan by March 1, 2021 to proceed releasing captive wolves in the Red Wolf Recovery Area. But he stopped short of mandating a specific number.

Red wolf running

It looks like to me there is a sign of hope for red wolves regarding their reintroduction back into the wild. These animals once numbered about 130 to as much as 150 wild individuals in 2005. However, by 2012, the recovery program was hampered by the following conflicts: more wolves were being killed by guns, poisoned or vehicles, and interbreeding with coyotes. At the same time, public and political attitudes turned against the wolves, and by 2015, the FWS cut down on management plans. The situation sparked outrage among conservation groups and many filed lawsuits against the agency on grounds of the violation of the Endangered Species Act. The Southern Environmental Law Center, which represents the Red Wolf Coalition, Defenders of Wildlife and the Animal Welfare Institute, argued in a November 2020 lawsuit that the FWS had failed to maintain its responsibility under the act to carry out management drills to conserve the wolves. It also called for the court to order urgent reinstatement of the practice of repopulating wild wolves with captive-bred individuals.

Red wolf howling

I feel that this is a high time to reintroduce red wolves back into their former habitats. These animals once ranged throughout the southeastern U.S from the Ohio River Valley and central Pennsylvania to southeastern Missouri and Central Texas before being confined to North Carolina. In addition to North Carolina, I think it is essential to identify potential release sites for red wolves in the region. For example, the wolf population in Florida's St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge are raised in captivity and need to be released on the state's mainland where the species was once extinct. Releasing red wolves in places where they had disappeared from can benefit the ecosystems such as keeping deer and other prey populations under control. I would also suggest that awareness programs need to be implemented in order to educate the public about red wolves and how they are beneficial for the well-being of southeastern U.S. Furthermore, coyotes are not native to North Carolina so it is essential to eradicate them and this in my opinion requires careful and precise planning in order to avoid any accidental killings of red wolves. Red wolves are on the precipice of extinction and it is high time to repopulate them and bring them back from the brink.

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Odisha's Blackbuck Conservation- A Village Community Effort

 

A blackbuck pair in the outskirts of Odisha's Bhetnoi village.

In India, there is a religious sect in the country's northwest region known as the Bishnoi. Its members are well-known for their love and protection of animals. One of those animals is the blackbuck. This swift and graceful antelope has little to fear from the Bishnoi people because of their beliefs in that every living thing should never be harmed. But somewhere in the state of Odisha, there is a group of seventy villages in Ganjam district whose inhabitants have also been protecting the blackbuck. One of those villages is Bhetnoi, where the antelope is seen roaming freely on its peripheries and at the same time keeping away from the villagers. The origins of the area's blackbuck conservation dates back more than a century ago when a long drought spell hit the locality. During that period, a small herd of blackbucks showed up in the area after which it rained ending the drought spell. The villagers felt that their fate was connected with the blackbucks and thus protected by members of the community. In the 1990s, a local blackbuck protection committee was established along with a district blackbuck protection committee to guarantee safeguarding of the animals. The area is also becoming a tourist site for viewing blackbucks. In an effort to boost tourism, the local forest department set up a four-storey watchtower to provide tourists a chance to view the blackbucks. The tower is also used by the department to monitor the antelopes. In addition, the department has leased private land near the villages to grow plants that are much wanted after by the blackbuck, to avoid crop damage. The department has also stated that it will not intervene in the protection work, but will provide support to the community in the form of compensation for loss of villagers' crops and treating the blackbucks in cases of injuries.

Tourists outside Bhetnoi looking for blackbucks and take their pictures.

A watchtower to observe blackbucks.

I really cannot express what an outstanding job the villagers of Ganjam district have done and continue to do to ensure the protection and well-being of the blackbuck. This goes to show that there are other people besides the Bishnoi, who are dedicated to the protection of wild animals in India. I'm also very happy that the efforts by the village communities has been recognized by the Odisha Forest Department and wildlife experts. Although I'm glad that Odisha's blackbucks are being cared for by village communities, they are prone to threats in the form of vehicular accidents, industries, stray dogs, and poaching. A wildlife expert named Biswajit Mohanty pointed out that a lack of speed breakers on the roads is major threat to blackbucks. There is even a working stone quarry in the area, which poses a threat. He even mentioned about isolated reports of poaching activities by people outside the area in recent years. I strictly believe that these issues need to be dealt with in order to ensure the survival of blackbucks on the long run. This includes construction of speed breakers to mitigate vehicular accidents and efforts to minimize attacks on blackbucks by stray dogs. I would personally recommend capturing the dogs and put them up for adoption. Also, the stone quarry needs to be monitored very closely for any damage affecting the blackbucks and anti-poaching efforts need to be implemented. But on the whole, I'm very proud to see that these villages have taken the initiative to protect the blackbucks and hope this serves as an inspiration to village communities across India in wildlife protection and conservation.

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Wolves in U.S Need to Be Protected Despite Being Delisted

Gray wolf

In the U.S, wolves are now officially off the Endangered Species List. This means that states housing the animals now have the freedom to manage their respective populations. These methods include lethal measurements like retaliatory killing of wolves in response to livestock depredation, along with seasonal hunting and trapping. The decision was proclaimed by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service in October 2020 and published in November of that year. It came into effect on January 4. One of the states holding high authority in wolf management is Wisconsin, where 528 wolves were killed through seasonal hunting and trapping from 2012 to 2014. The state's department of natural resources stated it intends to start its next wolf season on November 6 this year. The agency further added that it is working on a 10-year wolf management plan to help lead future management decisions in the state. Although wolves are delisted, shooting them is illegal unless there is a direct threat to human safety. Or, if on private land, a wolf can be killed if it is in the act of killing or maiming livestock or a pet. A report by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources indicated 90 confirmed or possible wolf depredations through the end of October, compared to full-year depredations of 82, 73 and 61 in 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively. So far this year, there has been no depredation of a livestock or pet in Wisconsin. In addition, there has been no wolf attack on a human in the state's history.

A map showing Wisconsin's wolf packs recorded in a 2019-2020 winter tracking survey. 

It makes me uncertain what the future holds for wolves in the U.S following their delisting. I find that certain states managing their respective wolf populations is questionable. This is because when people resort to retaliatory killing of wolves, it would result in disarray of packs and bring more trouble to farmers and ranchers. That is, if some number of wolves are killed and one of them turns out to be an alpha leader, then the pack he was leading would become disorganized and its members recklessly would go killing livestock. This, in turn, would bring more trouble to farmers and ranchers who would further kill wolves in retaliation bringing their population numbers down. There could also be a possibility of some unexpected side effects stemming from wolf management. In Wisconsin, Minnesota, Idaho, and other wolf states, the threat of depredation is so explicit, that there is a possibility certain dog breeds resembling wolves could get shot and killed out of fear. One such case was reported in Canada in 2017. The breed was a Tamaskan dog named Kaoru, who worked as a therapy dog with children with autism and people with emotional problems. Other breeds susceptible to such accidental, yet heart-wrenching killings include huskies, malamutes, and German Shepherds.

Wisconsin wolf population from 1980-2020

I strongly urge various states housing wolves to consider using non-lethal methods to prevent depredation from the animals and other forms of human-wolf conflicts. One surefire way is to acquire livestock guardian dogs to protect the farm animals. Awareness programs should also be held to educate and enlighten farmers, ranchers, and other stakeholders who are uneasy living alongside wolves. These programs should highlight key points such as how wolves play a crucial role in sustaining the natural environment by keeping prey animal populations in check. This means that killing wolves would allow deer and other prey populations to increase and cause ecological imbalance to the ecosystems of such states. The threat of depredation by wolves is a direct result of people having converted their habitats into farmlands and wiped off their natural prey. It is because of this negative influence imposed by people that wolves have been preying on livestock.

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