Letter: With wolves, WDFW director ignores ‘protection’ part of job

I really appreciate your Thursday editorial, “Closer look needed at state’s policy on killing wolves”: The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife’s killing of Profanity Peak wolves almost seems like we’re talking about Idaho, notorious for its war on wolves, instead of Washington. But maybe that isn’t so far fetched.

WDFW’s new director, hired by Gov. Inslee’s Fish & Wildlife Commission, is James Unsworth from Idaho. A strong advocate for wolf hunting, he oversaw Idaho Fish & Game’s war on wolves (later ruled illegal), issuing 70,000 wolf tags in 2009 alone. An avid hunter, he’s involved in attempts to remove protections from Yellowstone Grizzlies. And he is now the head of Washington’s agency to “preserve and protect wildlife.”

His “leadership” has reverberated beyond Washington’s borders. Those wolves belonged to the American people and were on lands entrusted to all Americans. But against policies and guidelines, Unsworth’s department killed them to appease a taxpayer-subsidized, wolf-hating rancher who intentionally creates conflicts between wolves and his cows.

I’m left with two questions: With someone like Unsworth at the helm, where is the oversight? And is there going to be any accountability?

Tena Scruggs

Escondido, California