Defenders' Experts
Ten Reasons for Wolf Recovery
1. 70% of Oregonians favor wolf recovery.
A 1999 poll of Oregon voters conducted by the Portland-based professional polling firm of Davis & Hibbitts found that 70% favored wolf recovery in Oregon. Even if people never actually see the wolves, they want to know that they are running wild and free in Oregon.
2. The American public supports Oregon’s position.
Numerous polls throughout the United States conducted over the last 30 years have indicated that 60–70% of the American public supports recovery of this key species.
3. Oregon is wolf country.
Hells Canyon and the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon contain millions of acres of prime wolf habitat, much of which is remote wilderness with less potential for wolf-livestock conflicts than other areas. This region is the “front door” into Oregon for wolves. Southwestern Oregon and the Cascades also contain some of the best habitat for wolves in the state and we need to make sure wolves can get there safely.
4. Wolves are part of Oregon’s past and should be part of our future.
Wolves are indigenous to Oregon. They are part of Oregon’s history and our wildlife heritage. We should practice good stewardship and make sure they are also part of Oregon’s future. Wolves are recovering well in other states with a minimum of conflict with humans and livestock. No person has been killed or injured by these recovering wolf populations. Ranchers who have lost livestock due to wolves have been compensated through private or state compensation funds, and wolves have been removed or their packs broken up when a wolf-livestock conflict has arisen.
5. Wolves are on the way.
Since 1999, eight confirmed Idaho wolves have made their way into Oregon. Since 1998, reported wolf sightings in Oregon have increased, with well over 200 sightings reported. Wolves can recover in Oregon with minimal expense to the state and federal government. Ample wolf habitat exists and the wolves are already entering the state. With proactive management and guidance, wolves can once again thrive in Oregon.
6. The Oregon state Endangered Species Act requires that wolves be protected and conserved.
All current protections for Oregon wolves must remain intact—the wolf is in too precarious a position to relax existing endangered species protections. The human intolerance that drove the wolf out of Oregon is still too potent in some areas. As the wolf has lost its federal protection in the eastern third of Oregon, it is vital to any chance of wolf recovery in the area that they maintain their state Endangered Species Act protections. Oregon has developed a proactive recovery plan that promotes viable wolf populations, and that plan should be followed.
7. Wolves are a key component of a healthy ecosystem.
Studies conducted in areas where wolves have been restored are demonstrating the dynamic and beneficial impact of wolves. Wolves and prey species evolved together over thousands of years, and the wolf’s presence helps regulate populations of prey species such as deer and elk. Carcasses left by wolves provide food for many other animals, from mammals to birds to insects. In Yellowstone National Park, where wolves are altering elk grazing behavior, aspen stands that have been overbrowsed in the wolf’s absence are finally regenerating.
8. Wolves are culturally significant to many Native American tribes.
The Nez Perce Tribe has managed the recovery of the wolf in Idaho. In Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation has expressed interest in a wolf management role of some type. Their views, concerns, and management role must be addressed.
9. Economic benefits from increased tourism can be expected in regions where wolves are restored.
An economic analysis for Yellowstone National Park noted an expected benefit of $6.7–9.9 million due to wolf recovery, with an eventual anticipated $23 million annual increase in tourist expenditures in the area as a result of the wolf’s presence. Ten years after wolf reintroduction, a follow-up economic study showed that the tri-state region of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho is actually receiving $35 million in expenditures by tourists specifically coming to Yellowstone to see wolves. In other areas where wolves are recovering, such as Minnesota, communities experience increased tourist visitation and spending as well. We can expect the same in Oregon.
10. Wolf recovery is important for the species itself.
The very survival of wolves depends on there being a sufficient number of wolf populations that are large enough to provide for the continuing viability of the species. At present, in the lower 48 United States, wolves have been restored to less than 4% of their original numbers in less than 4% of their original range. Wolves in Oregon would contribute to the chances of this species surviving.
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