The American West is one of the most famous regions in the United States, known for its beautiful scenery and immense wildlife. Recently, a controversial bill that would kill off 90% of Idaho’s grey wolf population was passed in the Idaho State House and Senate and signed into law by Governor Brad Little on 5/5/2021. Today, we will go over the historical context of wolves in the West, what’s in the bill and what critics have to say about it. I’m your host Michael Tung, and this is 90SS. As early settlers of the United States moved out to the Wild West in the late 1800s, settlers had a huge wolf problem on their hands. The wolves were widely feared by many people and their main source of food was cattle that the ranchers and farmers used. This led to the majority of wolves being killed off. However, soon after, the elk population with no other predators had spiraled out of control, and was eating up all of the new trees and grass growing in the area, leaving the landscape with a completely different ecosystem and a barren sight. This new law provides funding for contractors to go and kill the wolves, and allows unlimited kills for wolf hunters by allowing them to be hunted in any legal way including with ATVs, baiting, and night vision to name a few. Idaho’s own Fish and Game Commission opposes the bill, saying that it doesn’t allow for ecologists to make decisions on the environment, but allows for politicians to make that decision instead. Critics also argue that today, the number of cattle killed by wolves is exceptionally small, and that wolves create healthy ecosystems. By taking them away, it could potentially repeat what happened in the late 1890s. The law goes into effect July 1st 2021.
Photo by Michael LaRosa on Unsplash
