humans guarding the henhouse

a wildlife blogger posted about a plan by idaho's new governor to engage in a large-scale wolf hunt. now that wolves have benefitted from one of the largest endangered species protection policies, time to get out them shotguns and let 'er rip!

Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter told The Associated Press that he wants hunters to kill about 550 gray wolves. That would leave about 100 wolves, or 10 packs, according to a population estimate by state wildlife officials.

The 100 surviving wolves would be the minimum before the animals could again be considered endangered.

now, you might say, perhaps there is something reasonable to these claims. in some places in, say, wyoming the wolf population has caused problems for ranchers (for whom i feel only minor sympathy) and, even worse, has had some issues with overpopulation (which has to do in part with human encroachment on their territory). but, no, the idaho situation is not about overpopulation of wolves. it has to do with commercial hunting. wolves, being natural predators, have been killing some of the same things that hunters with their high-powered rifles like to hunt make trophies out of.

Otter complained that wolves are rapidly killing elk and other animals essential to Idaho's multimillion-dollar hunting industry. The hunters, many wearing camouflage clothing and blaze-orange caps, applauded wildly during his comments.

so, this is the genius of the human brain. you screwed up and reduced the wolf population to the point of near extinction. now you find them to be an inconvenience so you wish to reduce their population to a more convenient size (arbitrarily chosen to be right above the limit for qualification for endangered status) that fits better into your commercial schemes. you better hope that we animals never decide to reduce your population down to a more convenient size.