'Cancerous' intervention isn't helping the caribou

We listened to the “management plan” for 46 woodland caribou and we are reminded of the management of Priest Lake cutthroat fisheries and the management of kokanee fisheries of Lake Pend Oreille and how those turned out.

It appears the caribou have done just fine until the self-appointed managers discovered them as they migrated back and forth between Canada and the Salmo area. As these intellectually-driven caribou savers intensified their efforts, a formula slowly developed. These benign animals seemed to have arrived at some sort of balance with the threat of cougars and black bears.

But, the drive to save the universe of Disney knows no limits. Rogue grizzly bears from Yellowstone were imported to the Salmo and they found newborn caribou calves very tasty, later to be followed by problem wolves who were eating ranchers’ cattle and even problem black bears that had to be relocated.

As the herd of 46 appeared to dwindle, new breeding pairs were helicoptered in at massive expense. More grizzlies and wolves were added until the obvious happened and then more expensive caribou were flown in from Canada.

This ridiculously illogical formula was complete. We thought. Now, in a stroke of genius, all North Idaho taxpayers and their guests must be banished from their winter recreational area. Remember, the tree huggers drove out the loggers and deprived the public education system of its primary source of funding, but now must declare war on those who just want to work during the off season to supplement their incomes. Two things of which the taxpayers can be sure: the government’s involvement in this fiasco will increase, as will the cost; and the size and the well-being of the targeted caribou herd will never be able to keep up with the cancerous growth of this intervention.

DALE ROBERTSON

Laclede