Predators-and-the-public-trust

← Predators and the Public Trust

By Nathan Lyle | Published October 18, 2016

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Wolfwatcher

2 hours ago

Mr Sartore is the best photographer. He works for National GeographicMs Mexican wolfAbout the size of a German shepherd dog, the Mexican gray wolf is the smallest wolf in North America. Once numbering in the thousands, this species was eliminated from the US landscape by 1970 due to habitat alteration and eradication efforts that were aimed at protecting livestock and game species. With only a handful of these wolves remaining in zoos, the US and Mexican wildlife agencies adopted the Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan, which sought to return 100 wolves back to their historic range. Reintroduction began in 1998, and by 2006 just under 60 wolves were confirmed in the wild. While numbers continue to grow slowly, humans continue to pose the greatest threat to their survival because of intolerance and misconceptions about wolves. The genetic diversity of the species also needs careful monitoring as inbreeding is another serious threat gray wolves face in the wild. Photo taken at the Endangered Wolf Center. #LoboWeek #MexicanGrayWolf #wolf #animal #wildlife #photography #animalphotography #wildlifephotography #studioportrait #PhotoArk ... See MoreSee Less

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Wolfwatcher

6 hours ago

Fish and Game uses motion-triggered cameras to help get a count of wolves in Idaho, but critics say methods flawedbit.ly/3TISMAPWhen one begins reading about Idaho and it’s connection towolves automatically call their behavior in question.For the last several years, the agency has used cameras placed throughout the state to record timed and motion-triggered images to count the number of wolves in Idaho. Critics have said its methods — in particular the motion-triggered photos — are seriously flawed.Scientists, conservationists and even Idaho students have cited a paper written by Montana State University ecology professor Scott Creel that alleged major issues with the wolf population estimate model Idaho implemented in 2019.Critics of the technique told the Idaho Statesman the agency still hasn’t addressed their concerns just weeks before the commission is due to decide on a management plan that could reduce the state’s wolf population by two-thirds.How do they count wolves?Fish and Game counted them by using radio collars, observing wolf packs to create an estimate of average pack size and applying that estimate to the total number of known packs in the state. Labor Intensive and extensive.In 2019 they finally switched to the camera estimation method.There were-major issues with the wolf population estimate model Idaho implemented in 2019.Fish and Game then uses artificial intelligence to analyze the resulting millions of photos, finding those that contain wolves and applying a statistical model called a “space-to-event” model that calculates the average amount of space between wolves. Using that average, researchers create a population estimate.Many of Creel’s criticisms of Idaho’s method focus on a paper Roberts co-authored that was published last year. In it, the authors used motion-cameras.Fish and Game’s current method is slightly different from the paper Creel criticized. It uses both time-lapse photography and motion-triggered cameras, and a different system for camera placement. When the wolves encounter the cameras then howfast are they moving? That becomes more complicated.There are arguments of motion cameras for counting wolvesand the agency concluded the camera method was “pretty robust” despite the inconsistencies with the original model.Their time would be better spent and more accurate using radiocollaring. The-best of science is not being used and if it’s accurateone will never know the count.Photo: Idaho International Wolf Center ... See MoreSee Less

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