Passionate 4 Paws & Claws!

Recently I have been asked many times "why Palin hates wolves?"

This is the best I can do (yeah yeah it starts off topic, but really it gets around to the wolves, bear with me:

(and thanks to the friend, you know who you are, who most recently asked. And who I felt deserved a thoughtful answer. Thus the creation of the response that has evolved into this note)

This is a hard one for me, because the issue has many sides and from where I sit I can see lots of them. And as I tend to take more time and appreciate the process of "wrapping my imagination around" an idea I am still thinking about this issue. I would like everyone to have the opportunity to consider these various sides, and make an informed decision. During this election season I am greatly concerned as I see smear campaigns and 'smoke and mirrors' in abundance. People interviewed on TV saying how much they love a candidate, but can’t tell you one FACT of substance or policy to back up this love. This mindless lemming like behavior offends and scares me. Media spin doctors manipulate our emotions and depend on sound bites over thoughtful dialog and meaningful debate. It is disheartening.

More then wanting to tell anyone what to think, what I want to shout from the rooftops it THINK! Do your Research, DON"T let media mongrels play on emotions fears and stereotypes. Beckett was onto something huge! Freedom = Responsibility / Responsibility = Freedom and Godot ain’t coming so make a choice.

OK, I am not fan of Palin and would do nothing to make anyone like her, but.... I am upset by how the media especially Defenders of Wildlife, are portraying our state for their own political agenda. I actually called Defenders and after talking to many people in their organization I was able to find out, from them (I spoke with the head of media relations), that the footage they use in their add actually has nothing to do with the monitored wolf control program in Alaska today. It is from a 1970’s film called “Alaska’s Wolf Man” about a famous wolf bounty hunter. It was filmed and took place at a very different time in history, when people did not have the wisdom to embrace the environmental movement. Yes it is disturbing footage, and yes it is completely out of context.

Here are some things the media conveniently forgets to mention when the issue comes up. Aerial wolf control is one of many options, not used as a first choice, sometimes done for the health of the wolf populations (read about lice in the adfg link below 1.) completely regulated by Fish and Game biologists, in a very small area of the state. Not just anyone can go out and ‘shoot wolves from a plane’ these are registered people, who report directly to Fish and Game. Although admittedly controversial it does have very strong support in areas of the state. I have worked in and know people in the village of McGrath where just this year the elders were reporting on Alaska public radio how wonderful it was to see the first successful moose hunt in the region in years. They credit it to the efforts of state biologist and the wolf control program. (see News-Miner link below 2.)

Honestly (big philosophical/ethical question here) I am not sure that we should be ‘managing’ any wildlife. But the sad hard truth is that we do it all the time in so many ways, hunting regulations, wildlife preserves, zoos, breeding animals for pets and meat, the taking of wilderness areas and developing them for human use. Historically as humans we have made the assumption that what we want should be held above the rights of other creatures on the planet. Once you have altered nature can you stop? How much is acceptable? What are our responsibilities and motives here? What would happen if we didn’t?

So I guess I am not really answering your question…

But there are no easy answers, and I think people (self included) respond emotionally to wolves, they symbolize ‘wild’ ‘free’ and they are an endangered animal, although there numbers are strong up here, I see them regularly. There were even problems last winter with wolves coming into an area right outside of town called Two Rivers and taking pet dogs, one of many documented examples (see link on wolf attacks 3.) Last week a pack in the McKay Creek valley were howling at the moon, about 11 PM, beautiful to hear, set the whole dog yard off howling with them. As much as I loved that and cherish living somewhere that I can have those experiences I would shoot a wolf dead myself before I would let it take one of my dogs. What does that make me? A protective mama being responsible for the souls in her care; or a cold hearted killer? Or am I just an animal like all the rest, living in world where we all kill to live. (and even if you don’t have the blood on your hands take a look around; weather it is the raping of the planet for resources or the food you eat.. When something gets, something else had to give. It is the inevitable price of life) I have no answers here; all I can do is try to make choices that I can sleep at night with, and hope that my values and karma are good. To do that IMHO I need to be thoughtful. I need to think, even when it is complicated, I have a headache, or it is an emotional issue.

Here is some info about the issue, for your consideration. In no way do I want to seem like I am telling anyone what to think, I just want to offer up some thoughts from my Alaskan perspective.

Please comment, thoughtful dialog leads to deeper understanding, but do so with the respect for freedom of thought and opinion that I hope I have shown in this note.

Honestly I am taking a moment in apprehension here, once I post my musings become public property, and to Quote Anna Nalick “These words are my diary screaming out loud. And I know that you’ll use them however you want to”

1. http://www.wc.adfg.state.ak.us/index.cfm?adfg=wolf.main

2. http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/feb/24/predator-control-has-helped-mcgrath-area/?opinion

3. http://wolfcrossing.org/2007/12/23/links-to-all-alaska-wolf-stories/