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Wyo's wolf costs soared in 2003
By JEFF GEARINO, AP, Southwest Wyoming bureau
GREEN RIVER -- Gray wolf populations rose last year and so did the management costs to Wyoming, a new Wyoming Game and Fish Department report says.
Wolf management costs rose dramatically from a year ago to $506,000 during 2003, up from approximately $37,171 the agency spent on wolf management in 2002, Game and Fish directors say in a just-published annual report.
Some of the increase can be credited to the development in 2003 of a final wolf management plan for Wyoming.
However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently determined the state's final wolf management plan wasn't adequate to ensure the viability of wolf populations after delisting and has asked the department to make changes to the document.
The agency's final wolf management plan estimated the costs of a Game and Fish-managed wolf program after delisting would be about $395,000 per year.
The agency estimated in the report that there are 295 wolves and 22 breeding pairs in the Greater Yellowstone Area. Of these, 240 wolves and 17 breeding pairs are in Wyoming.
The report said there are an estimated 747 wolves in the Northern Rockies for 2003 with 46 breeding pairs, compared to 663 wolves and 43 breeding pairs in 2002.
Wyoming spent approximately $1.8 million in Fiscal Year 2003 to manage two endangered species -- the gray wolf and the grizzly bear, the report said.
The department's annual report covers the period of July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003.
Grizzly bear management costs dropped slightly from approximately $1.43 million in 2002 to about $1.37 million in 2003, according to the report.
Directors also said in the report that an ongoing drought that has been taking a heavy toll on the state's wildlife, habitat and fisheries in recent years was not as severe last year.
Interim Director Gregg Arthur noted in the report's summary that drought conditions moderated somewhat in most areas of Wyoming during 2003.
Arthur said while southwest Wyoming has remained an area of great concern, most of the rest of Wyoming experienced a mild winter during 2002-2003, followed by ample spring precipitation.
"While the impacts of the extended drought will remain for a number of years, particularly the impacts to habitat in many areas of the state, conditions are much more favorable at this time than they were a year ago," he said.
Concerns remain, however, about the impacts to both terrestrial habitat and the low soil moisture that leads to the loss of more springs and small creeks that feed the state's major fisheries. "It may take a number of years to mitigate these impacts," Arthur said.
Agency officials last year estimated it was costing the state from $4 to $6 million per year in lost license revenues because drought conditions had left many of the state's important wildlife habitat in poor shape.
By JEFF GEARINO, AP, Southwest Wyoming bureau
GREEN RIVER -- Gray wolf populations rose last year and so did the management costs to Wyoming, a new Wyoming Game and Fish Department report says.
Wolf management costs rose dramatically from a year ago to $506,000 during 2003, up from approximately $37,171 the agency spent on wolf management in 2002, Game and Fish directors say in a just-published annual report.
Some of the increase can be credited to the development in 2003 of a final wolf management plan for Wyoming.
However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently determined the state's final wolf management plan wasn't adequate to ensure the viability of wolf populations after delisting and has asked the department to make changes to the document.
The agency's final wolf management plan estimated the costs of a Game and Fish-managed wolf program after delisting would be about $395,000 per year.
The agency estimated in the report that there are 295 wolves and 22 breeding pairs in the Greater Yellowstone Area. Of these, 240 wolves and 17 breeding pairs are in Wyoming.
The report said there are an estimated 747 wolves in the Northern Rockies for 2003 with 46 breeding pairs, compared to 663 wolves and 43 breeding pairs in 2002.
Wyoming spent approximately $1.8 million in Fiscal Year 2003 to manage two endangered species -- the gray wolf and the grizzly bear, the report said.
The department's annual report covers the period of July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003.
Grizzly bear management costs dropped slightly from approximately $1.43 million in 2002 to about $1.37 million in 2003, according to the report.
Directors also said in the report that an ongoing drought that has been taking a heavy toll on the state's wildlife, habitat and fisheries in recent years was not as severe last year.
Interim Director Gregg Arthur noted in the report's summary that drought conditions moderated somewhat in most areas of Wyoming during 2003.
Arthur said while southwest Wyoming has remained an area of great concern, most of the rest of Wyoming experienced a mild winter during 2002-2003, followed by ample spring precipitation.
"While the impacts of the extended drought will remain for a number of years, particularly the impacts to habitat in many areas of the state, conditions are much more favorable at this time than they were a year ago," he said.
Concerns remain, however, about the impacts to both terrestrial habitat and the low soil moisture that leads to the loss of more springs and small creeks that feed the state's major fisheries. "It may take a number of years to mitigate these impacts," Arthur said.
Agency officials last year estimated it was costing the state from $4 to $6 million per year in lost license revenues because drought conditions had left many of the state's important wildlife habitat in poor shape.
