Wolves in Iowa

Author: Ron DeArmond of the Pella Wildlife Company. Presentation given at the 2015 Midwest Wolf Stewards Conference at Northland College. April 2015

Transcript

1. Pella Wildlife Company A non-profit wildlife conservation organization
2. Wolves in Iowa
4. Where did these wolves come from?
5. Will Wolves Return to Iowa, Illinois & Missouri? Are they already here? Will we have a sustainable population?
6. Wolves have always been in the Midwest
7.  In1840 an act to encourage the destruction of wolves was approved.  Wolves were extirpated in Iowa by the end of the 1860’s  Never to be seen again!?
8. In 1973 the wolf was placed on the Endangered Species List  Wolves began to reestablish themselves in the forested areas of MN. WI. and MI.  In 2012 wolves were taken off of the Endangered Species list.  Placed back on the Endangered Species List 2014  3,500 to 4,000 wolves in this population segment
9. Dispersal Gray Wolf ESA Status in Illinois and Iowa There is no resident gray wolf population in Illinois and Iowa, but individual wolves have entered the states after dispersing from northern populations. The gray wolf Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment has been removed from the list of Endangered and Threatened Species and is no longer protected under the Endangered Species Act. The defined area of the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment includes Illinois and Iowa north of the centerline of Interstate Highway 80. The gray wolf remains listed as endangered south of the centerline of Interstate Highway 80 in Illinois and Iowa. Where the wolf remains listed as endangered it is illegal to harm, harass, or kill a wolf unless there is an immediate threat to human safety. If someone is in a situation where they feel they or someone else is in immediate danger from a wolf, they can kill the wolf. USFWS
11. Wolf Ethology  Social  Family Units  Predator  Main Diet Deer  Forest Habitat  Adapting to Humans?
12. Wolves in Wisconsin
13. Where will the wolves live  Three probable main population segments  Cover, Food, Water, Space  The Average Wolf Territory in Wisconsin is 35 square miles
16. 2 Wolves shot in 2014 both Females, both 2 – 3 years old
17. Wolf Confirmation
18. Wolf Confirmation
19. Wolf Confirmation
21. Ways to Monitor Dispersal  GPS Wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan  Tattoo Wolf Pups – Each state has a unique color  Work with Coyote Hunters – Get DNA sample from coyotes over 5’ and 45lbs  Establish Volunteer Winter Tracking Program  Should we expand the Midwest Wolf Stewards Conference to the Iowa and Illinois region
22. Comparison
23. Comparison
24. Comparison
25.  The human element of wildlife management is becoming more important as it becomes clear that an understanding of the public and constituents often means the difference between the success or failure of wildlife management programs (Responsive Management 2011).  While the public has been increasingly drawn into the wildlife decision arena, typically, their level of wildlife knowledge is limited. Education of the public remains one of the greatest challenges for the future (Sixty-Third North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference).
26. Acknowledgements