The sound of rustling leaves and branches caught Brian Christman’s attention, prompting him to raise his muzzleloader in anticipation of a deer. The hunting season was coming to a close in central New York, and Christman hoped to bag a buck. Instead, what he saw was a large white dog-like creature staring back at him. In that moment, Christman felt like the prey. He had coated himself with a scent that mimicked a doe in heat, attracting the attention of the animal. He aimed the animal in his scope and pulled the trigger, initially thinking it was a massive coyote.
However, it turned out that his assumption was incorrect. The shot fired that day would trigger a new chapter in the ongoing debate surrounding one of America’s most cherished yet controversial predators: the gray wolf. Genetic testing and analysis confirmed that the 85-pound animal killed in December 2021 was indeed a gray wolf that had been feeding on a wild diet. The evidence strongly suggested that it was not an escaped captive.
In the region, a group of passionate conservationists has long argued that these animals are making their way from Canada or the Great Lakes to the forests of the upper Northeast. To them, the wolf shot near Cooperstown serves as proof that government agencies need to step up their efforts to locate and protect these animals. However, when it comes to safeguarding wolves, a species that American settlers and their descendants nearly wiped out over a century ago, controversies inevitably arise.
Dan Rosenblatt, who oversees endangered and non-game species at New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation, explains that people often support the idea of charismatic species like wolves returning to the landscape from a distance. However, that support diminishes rapidly when these animals are seen in people’s backyards or on popular hiking trails.
According to state records, there have been two other confirmed wolf sightings in New York in the past 25 years. One of them, killed by a hunter in 2001, was likely a wild wolf. However, discerning whether large canines spotted in the region are actual wolves is complicated by the presence of oversized coyotes. Scientists believe that the larger size of these coyotes is due to historical and potentially ongoing interbreeding with wolves and dogs.
Wolves, coyotes, and dogs are capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. Northeastern coyotes, for instance, carry a substantial amount of wolf DNA, often around 20%, leading to the term “coywolves.” However, many scientists dislike this label as it implies a distinct species or a 50-50 hybrid. In reality, the situation is much more complex, as genetics are shared among these canines, creating confusion for the general public and management challenges.
The legal distinction between wolves and coyotes matters in New York, as wolves are protected under state and federal law, while there are no limits to hunting coyotes from October to March. This has prompted individuals like Joseph Butera, a retired telephone mechanic with a home in the Adirondacks, to search for evidence of wolf presence. Butera has joined forces with other wolf enthusiasts to raise awareness and collect data, aiming to prevent wolves from being mistaken and shot as coyotes.
One important milestone for Butera’s coalition was the addition of language on New York’s coyote hunting page, cautioning hunters about protected wolves and requesting vigilance in identifying large canids encountered. A separate page provides guidelines on differentiating between species. For example, coyotes have pointier snouts and longer ears.
Recently, a bill passed by the New York legislature seeks to ban hunting competitions that offer prizes based on the number or size of animals killed. Governor Kathy Hochul is currently reviewing the legislation. These new developments provide hope for advocates who have reported sighting 12 wolves south of the St. Lawrence River since 1993.
While some experts like John Vucetich of Michigan Technological University believe it’s plausible that there might be individual wolves in the Northeast, they contend that there are currently no packs in the region. The absence of evidence such as moose kills supports this claim. However, proponents of wolf conservation accuse the state agency of neglecting the issue due to the political sensitivities associated with wolves.
Christopher Amato, former assistant commissioner of natural resources at the Department of Environmental Conservation and current director of conservation at Protect the Adirondacks, suggests that the state is operating in an information void regarding wolves. He claims that there is no effort being made to investigate the situation further.
Dr. Rosenblatt counters by explaining that the state must prioritize the conservation of known species. New York faces numerous pressing environmental management issues, including the protection of 70 threatened or endangered species. Although it would not be a problem without time constraints, the current circumstances pose a challenge.
Dr. Bridgett vonHoldt at Princeton University calls for a more holistic approach to managing large, wild canines. Instead of exclusively focusing on the legal distinction between wolves and coyotes, she emphasizes the importance of recognizing the genetic complexities and shared ancestry among these species. By adopting a broader perspective, a more effective and comprehensive management strategy can be developed.
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