First Wolf Seen In The Grand Canyon in 75 Years, May Have Been Shot Dead

[G_j]

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/grand-canyon-gray-wolf-may-have-been-shot-dead

Grand Canyon Gray Wolf May Have Been Shot Dead

December 31, 2014 | by Justine Alford



We could be in for some deeply saddening news shortly as a northern gray wolf has been shot and killed in Utah, and wildlife groups fear that it could be the same animal that was spotted recently in the Grand Canyon - the first wolf seen in the area for 75 years.

The female, radio-collared gray wolf was shot dead by a hunter on December 28 near the south end of the Tushar Mountains near Beaver, south-western Utah, after being mistaken for a coyote. When the hunter realized that the animal was not a coyote, he immediately informed the Division of Wildlife Resources who then contacted the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The federal agency then identified the animal as a three-year-old female that was fitted with a collar near Cody, Wyoming, at the beginning of the year. Although environmental groups are seriously concerned that this could be the lone wolf that had been recently sighted numerous times in the Grand Canyon, this cannot be confirmed until results from DNA tests come back.

Gray wolves were once common in Arizona, but they were almost wiped out in the 1930s and hadn’t been spotted in the Grand Canyon since 1939, according to the US Fish & Wildlife Service. This is why conservationists and environmentalists were delighted when one lone ranger turned up in October near the North Rim of the famous landmark. Officials tried to catch the animal to replace the inoperative radio collar it was wearing, but failed. They did, however, manage to scrounge some DNA from its faeces, which revealed its identity as a female from the northern Rocky Mountains, more than 450 miles away. The wolf was later named “Echo” and was photographed several times on Arizona’s Kaibab Plateau.

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“Wolves are an endangered species in Utah, but the Justice Department has systematically failed to enforce the Endangered Species Act in respect to illegal shootings of animals supposedly mistaken for unprotected wildlife species; notwithstanding that a fundamental rule of firearm and hunter safety is never to pull the trigger without being 100% sure of the target.”

[Jamastiene]

1. K&R

This is important to me. I despise how animal cruelty laws are not enforced in my area and now I see it is happening all over the place.

And now I see, that even the Endangered Species Act is not being enforced. To me, that is so far beyond disgusting that I do not even know a word extreme enough to describe it.

[pipoman]

3. If there hasn't been a wolf in this area of Utah

For a century, no reasonable person would expect to see one while coyote hunting. Definitely unfortunate....

[G_j]

4. that is not a coyote

obviously

[pipoman]

5. Not that obviously from 50 or 100 yards

http://dnr.wi.gov/news/images/slideshows/Wolf_Coyote_Comparison/

[G_j]

6. I would also hope that hunters were aware that

a gray wolf was sighted in the area in October. I won't be making excuses for the hunter.

[brer cat]

7. I am not trying to pick a fight

because I think we are on the same side. However, I am willing to cut the hunter some slack:

"When the hunter realized that the animal was not a coyote, he immediately informed the Division of Wildlife Resources..."

[G_j]

9. I would also like to know if the proper authorties

notified hunters of the presence of a gray wolf.

[brer cat]

10. Good question. I don't know. nt

[Union Scribe]

8. If someone isn't sure what they're aiming at

it is recklessly criminal to pull the trigger. Someone like that has no business hunting.

[pipoman]

11. Did you look at the link?

The point is that if there hasn't been a wolf in a geographic area for a century and wolves look nearly identical to coyotes, a reasonable person wouldn't expect to see a wolf. Click the link and check out the slide show, it is designed to inform hunters because this is common.

[JonLP24]

2. Sad news

This is what I figured they meant by "politically hostile" territory.

"We are overjoyed that she made it through hundreds of miles of politically hostile territory to rediscover an important part of her historic range," said Drew Kerr, carnivore advocate for WildEarth Guardians. "This is a bellwether event for wolf recovery in the United States."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025879983

[G_j]

12. Echo was a symbol of hope

Echo was a symbol of hope as conservationists celebrated the possible return of gray wolves to the Southwest after being wiped out for a century. Echo was probably looking for food or a mate when she was shot.

[Ino]

13. No one could have known it was the only one...

or the last one...

A boy in Ohio killed the last wild passenger pigeon in 1900 with BB gun.

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Content.aspx?dsNav=N:4294963828-4294963805&dsRecordDetails=R:CS366

Yay shooters!