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It was only a matter of time before wolves reappeared in Utah.
Now that they’re here comes the emotionally charged question of how the state intends to deal with the fascinating animals.
It’s a question KSL believes state wildlife managers should have answered long before now. They’ve had plenty of time to focus on issues raised by the reintroduction of the endangered species into the Northern Rocky Mountain Region.
It’s been almost eight years since the first wolves were relocated from Canada to Yellowstone Park. Experts knew they would eventually migrate into Utah.
Despite that time lag, no specific wolf-management program for Utah is in place.
Last month’s capture of a gray wolf in the mountains north of Morgan underscores the need to accelerate Utah’s development of a wolf-management plan. Will the wolves be viewed as an asset or a liability to the state’s ecosystem? Should they be allowed to stay and flourish or should steps be taken to remove them and keep them out, once their endangered status is changed?
Expect the debate to be passionate and contentious. Regardless, now that wolves are back in Utah, KSL believes it is a debate that must move forward expeditiously, and with as much reason as those on all sides of the emotional issue can muster.
