August 17, 2011

Dr. Valerius Geist

Wolves are not compatible with settled landscapes, as they destroy wildlife, then habituate, and focus on livestock and pets, and eventually on humans. Simultaneously they spread diseases such as hydatid disease (dog tape worm, Echinococcus granulosus), Neopspora caninum (which brings about abortions in cattle) and rabies (which in wilderness areas appears to periodically bring down wolf populations). This is not merely a matter of wildlife management, or livestock protection, but also one of public health.

The introductions of wolves into Yellowstone and Idaho, heralded as a conservation success, I consider a serious failure in wildlife conservation. It exposed flaws in conservation legislation and – Judge Molloy's latest ruling not withstanding - is mired in a morass of legal matters, daunting, so I understand, even for legal minds.
Wolf introductions have hit some individual ranchers severely, well documented, for instance, by Jess Carey (3trees@gilanet.com) and his lawyer Ron Shortes in Catron County, New Mexico. An important development: ranchers which have been hit by wolves, and which want to sell their ranches, cannot find buyers as long as there are wolves on the property. And we are dealing with only 50 wolves! What can we do to generate some justice to individuals affected by wolf introductions?

The direct and indirect effect of wolves on ranching have been compiled, but need to be brought together. Similarly, the effects on wildlife populations, and on public health.

Intolerable is the spread of hydatid infected wolf feces on lawns, driveways etc within suburbs and hamlets by wolves hunting deer and elk who have taken refuge in human proximity. That was something I did not anticipate in my address (appended) to a committee of the Montana legislature.

We need to understand the disease issue. In my judgment this matter has been handled in a less than satisfactory manner by Idaho and Montana authorities. The bottom line: what needs to be prevented is the spread of hydatid disease to dogs, which would defecate infective feces all around homes (ditto for infected wolves and urban coyotes) where the infective eggs can be carried indoor on a continuous basis leading to multiple infections of the residents. Mark well: hydatid disease is a dreadful disease, and the medical costs are staggering. In Idaho a lady was recently billed $63,000 to remove a large hydatid cysts from her liver. Multiple infections of children from hydatid eggs being transported into the house by shoes or by sticking to the fur of dogs would lead in about a decade to nightmarish consequences. Please see my appended presentation to a committee of the Montana legislature.

Valerius Geist
Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary.

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