It is expected that lots of data has been collected that will allow management more by science and less by barroom and rumor from coffee at the diner.
Story in the Billings Gazette. AP
It seems that people can think more rationally about cougars than they can about wolves.
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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It seems that people can think more rationally about cougars than they can about wolves ..only because they are currently distracted by the wolves. Once the wolves are prematurely delisted (threatened species can be threatened by lots of things, including rightwing lunatic fringe politics), they will again turn their attention to decimating the lions, just like they did when I was little and lions were essentially eliminated from much of the range that they have since reoccupied.
“Once the wolves are prematurely delisted”
By whose standards?, Yours? Geez another self appointed Wolf Expert in our Midst.
As the article stated, the purpose of this research is to facilitate both having a lion hunt and keeping lions around. I would venture that the main reasons wolves are viewed differently are Little Red Riding Hood and the reintroductions. If only a porcupine had eaten Red’s granny.