Supreme Court Panel Hears Predator Case

Thu, November 19, 2009
Posted in Alaska News, Top Stories

A panel of three state Supreme Court justices heard a case that threatens to overturn the law that underlies predator control programs. Ronald West argues that predators like wolves and bears have to be managed in a way that will assure their abundance in the future, just as prey species are.

Steve Heimel, APRN – Anchorage

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Comments

Judy Kwetcipenes-Armstrong

I cannot believe that wolves and bears are on the line for termination. If these people were smart, they will find that the "preditors" keep the herds healthy. The so called preditors take out the old and unhealthy mamals. I know for fact that wolves only attack the numbers needed to feed their families. No more, no less. When will you people get it through their dense heads that there is no such thing as "The Big Bad Wolves"? Get with it people!!!

Alaskacarpenter

Where are you from. I live on the Kenai Peninsula and bear hunting has been restricted...SEVERELY! The moose herd has been reduced, bear sightings are way up and the number of maulings grows in residential areas. By the way, when a bear kills you, he eats a little, deficates on you, urinates on you, covers you with leaves and dirt and then sits around you like you were personal property and then eats you. The wolf population is large, flea ridden and sick. They kill indiscriminantly, even more so than man. They will kill just for the sake of killing. I have SEEN this. The problem is, they are much smarter than you...yes, you. There are very few ways to deal with the over-population. And if you have ever seen the remains of a sick and flea ridden wolf, maybe you would change your mind. People should stick to what they know, and hunting and fishing groups most generally have the whole picture in mind not just the "save the poor little animals from terrible man" picture. And by the way, the wolf is big and bad. Let one sneak in and kill your dog and EAT IT in your back yard and give me a call. Real conservationists' should be concerned with limiting big swings in animal numbers which is the scenario you obviously prefer. If you think human infringment is an issue, don't come to Alaska. I know plenty of us don't want people who sound like you up there.

cabinfeverdavid

I want o know why it is humans think they can improve on the system that nature has devised for millions of years.
And, it's well known fact that if you want to iradicate any species, just let Fish & Game, or any other government agencie for that matter, "manage" them for a few years.
It's convenient that humans don't advertise that they themselves are at the top of the predator list.