Nez Perce Aid Wolves in Idaho

Re “A Healing Closure to Nez Perce’s Sad Voyage” by Kim Murphy, June 14, as an adjunct to that fine reportage: In addition to their conservation responsibilities on their former lands, the Nez Perce have contracted with the federal government to manage an endangered species for an entire state. Five generations after their ancestors were driven from their homeland, the Nez Perce have embraced wolf reintroduction as a way to blend spiritual beliefs with political victory.

Recently, Jaime Pinkham, a member of the tribe’s executive committee, said, “The Nez Perce and the wolves are a mirror of one another. We were both displaced to make space for settlers. And now, we are both trying to find our way home. In a sense you might call it a recovery mirror; and as the wolf comes back, it is a reflection of the tribe’s strength.”

Thirty-five wolves have been brought into Idaho from Canada and thanks to Nez Perce monitoring are flourishing.

JOE BUFFER

Malibu