Norwegian wolves in dire straits

NORWEGIAN WOLF SITUATION

Here's Kimberley's latest update on the crisis with the highly endangered Norwegian wolves:

"The latest I've found about the wolf situation is not good. The hunt has had the result we expected. The latest report from the Scandinavian wolf Project, Scandulv, claims that only the `Julussa' pack now has a breeding couple fit to breed this Spring. Scandulv's research suggests that there are no free-roaming wolf pairs that are capable of breeding either."

"The other pack, Gråfjell, not initially targeted for the hunt (but which the alpha female was `mistakenly' killed during the hunt), still exists but it is believed there are no other females able to produce pups. At least the pack hasn't dispersed as I had feared. Petter Wabakken (the researcher I have been trying to get a hold of, but not gotten a response from as yet) said in Aftenposten that he expects the Julussa pack to breed this year, `but we can never be certain. We may have a year with nobreeding."

I will be consulting with Kimberley in the next few days to see what action we can take that might affect things.

~Steve McNallen, AFA Bearclaw Newsletter