Another wolf killed on the 7th November 2015 in Utah.
This time the wolf died in a neck snare set for coyotes.
A 40 kg female wolf was found in a neck snare by a private trapper West of Randolph near the Idaho State line as reported by Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Although test results have not been finalised yet they are pretty sure the hapless animal was a wolf.
Wolves still remain protected in most of Utah, but the wolf killed in the snare officially was in the Northern Rockies recovery zone that covers Idaho, Montana and a small part of Northern Utah. Which means its "accidental" torturous death in a neck snare was quite legal as it was not protected by Federal law.
This tragic event happened less than a year after 'coyote' hunters killed another wolf that happened to be collared near Beaver. It turned out to be the female wolf , Echo that was seen earlier on the Grand Canyon's North rim in Colorado. The hunter came off very lightly after shooting an animal listed on the Endangered Species Act. His excuse was that he mistakenly thought she was a coyote.
Altogether three wolves were killed in Utah now and no charges were brought against any of the killers.
It is clear that wolves will have difficulty in recolonizing old habitat whilst the Utah and Colorado wildlife departments actively encourage coyote killing contests and reward the killers for killing them. Thousands of coyotes are trapped, poisoned, shot and snared each year without the requirement of a license or a bag limit.
by Vincent Kennard
This time the wolf died in a neck snare set for coyotes.
A 40 kg female wolf was found in a neck snare by a private trapper West of Randolph near the Idaho State line as reported by Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Although test results have not been finalised yet they are pretty sure the hapless animal was a wolf.
Wolves still remain protected in most of Utah, but the wolf killed in the snare officially was in the Northern Rockies recovery zone that covers Idaho, Montana and a small part of Northern Utah. Which means its "accidental" torturous death in a neck snare was quite legal as it was not protected by Federal law.
This tragic event happened less than a year after 'coyote' hunters killed another wolf that happened to be collared near Beaver. It turned out to be the female wolf , Echo that was seen earlier on the Grand Canyon's North rim in Colorado. The hunter came off very lightly after shooting an animal listed on the Endangered Species Act. His excuse was that he mistakenly thought she was a coyote.
Altogether three wolves were killed in Utah now and no charges were brought against any of the killers.
It is clear that wolves will have difficulty in recolonizing old habitat whilst the Utah and Colorado wildlife departments actively encourage coyote killing contests and reward the killers for killing them. Thousands of coyotes are trapped, poisoned, shot and snared each year without the requirement of a license or a bag limit.
by Vincent Kennard
