Wolves
Wolves were listed as an endangered species throughout the coterminous United States and as a threatened species in Minnesota in 1974. In 1995, a federal wolf recovery program was established in which 35 wolves were released into the State of Idaho and 30 more into Yellowstone National Park. Since that time, the number of wolves has increased dramatically in Idaho to approximately 835 wolves in 94 packs and 49 breeding pairs verified by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game at the end of 2009. Currently, unofficial estimates put Idaho’s wolf population at over 1,000 animals.
The wolf population in Idaho and other states has greatly exceeded the federal recovery goals and objectives. In fact, 2002 marked the third consecutive year that Idaho met and exceeded the biological recovery goals necessary for delisting wolves. Even though the State of Idaho had for years exceeded these recovery goals, developed a federally approved management plan, and demonstrated time and again its commitment to managing a healthy and sustainable population of wolves, various environmental groups remained vigilant to prevent delisting. Over the past few years, federal attempts to delist wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains were met by legal challenges from environmental groups, and it became clear that legal gridlock was going to keep a recovered population of wolves in Idaho listed and under federal control for years to come. In an effort to break this legal gridlock over wolves and reward the State of Idaho for its work in wolf recovery, Congress intervened and delisted wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains through a rider attached to the FY2011 federal spending bill in April 2011. The delisting rider, added by Congressman Mike Simpson R-(ID) required the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reinstate the previous rule from 2009 that, for a short time had delisted wolves in Idaho and Montana, and portions of surrounding states. On May 5, 2011, wolf delisting in Idaho was made official.
Wolves are once again delisted in Idaho and are currently being managed by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game pursuant to the 2002 Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan.
Announcement -
Wolf Depredation Compensation Program:
In September 2010, Defenders of Wildlife ended its wolf depredation compensation program in Idaho, thus shifting the entire livestock compensation responsibility to the State of Idaho. The State was recently awarded a new federal wolf depredation compensation grant titled the Wolf Livestock Demonstration project. The State of Idaho, through the Governor's Office of Species Conservation, is now accepting claims for verified and unverified wolf-related livestock losses. Claims for verified losses will take priority and will be paid at market value. Payments for unverified or missing livestock will be allocated on a pro rata basis. If funds remain, compensation for non-lethal/proactive wolf control efforts will be considered.
2011 VERIFIED claims due December 12, 2011.
2011 UNVERIFIED claims due January 23, 2012.
Please see the links below for program details and claim forms. You will find two separate packets for "verified" and "unverified" claims.
Downloads:
- Idaho Wolf Conservation and Management Plan
- 2011 Idaho Wolf Depredation Compensation Program
- 2011 Idaho "Unverified" Wolf Depredation Claim Forms
- 2011 Idaho "Verified" Wolf Depredation Claim Forms
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