In a sworn statement submitted to the U. A professional hunter-trapper hired by IDFG killed nine wolves in the Frank Church Wilderness last winter and state officials in February announced plans to kill 60 percent of the wolves in the Middle Fork section of the wilderness over a period of several years in an effort to inflate wilderness elk populations for the benefit of commercial outfitters and recreational hunters. Earthjustice is representing long-time Idaho conservationist and wilderness advocate Ralph Maughan along with four conservation groupsβ Defenders of Wildlife , Western Watersheds Project , Wilderness Watch , and the Center for Biological Diversity βin the lawsuit challenging the wolf-killing program.
The conservationists argue that the U. Forest Service, which is charged by Congress with managing and protecting the Frank Church Wilderness, violated the Wilderness Act and other laws by allowing and assisting the state wolf-killing program in the largest forest wilderness in the lower states.
Ensuring healthy wolf populations here is critical for the recovery of wolves throughout the entire northwestern region. Next we will see whether the Forest Service will take action to protect the Frank Church Wilderness from such atrocities in the future.
IDFG commenced the program in December without public notice but abruptly suspended the program on January 28, amidst emergency injunction proceedings before the Ninth Circuit. Since then, the conservationists have continued to press their case for an injunction before the Ninth Circuit, which led to the scheduled August 25 court hearing.
Because IDFG has abandoned the professional wolf-killing program in the wilderness, the conservationists have agreed to forego the scheduled court hearing, but they renewed their call for the Forest Service to fulfill its legal duty to protect the Frank Church Wilderness.
