Last week, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and new Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe announced a reckless plan to remove protections for Gray wolves in Wyoming that could unravel the successful recovery of wolves across the region.
Secretary Salazar stated that the Interior Department has agreed in principle to a management plan for the State of Wyoming that would allow wolves to be shot on sight across most of the state. No permit would be necessary, and all wolves would be fair game.
No protections for pregnant or nursing females, no protections for pups. In fact, wolves could be killed in much of the state, anytime, EVEN WITHOUT A HUNTING LICENSE.
Tell Secretary Salazar that this management plan is grossly unacceptable. Urge him to require wolves be managed as any other "trophy" species and that Wyoming adopt a management plan that will not have disastrous impacts on wolves both within and well outside their borders.
While the Endangered Species Coalition does not embrace the idea of wolf hunting, we recognize that public hunting of wolves in Wyoming will likely be a regular component of wolf management, and we would expect such hunting to be "fair chase", well-regulated and science-based. The Wyoming plan meets none of those objectives.
Twice the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have already rejected this unscientific plan. Adopting it now is inexplicable and, were it subject to judicial review, likely unlawful. Knowing this inferior plan could not survive a court challenge, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead is urging the U.S. Congress to do an end-run around the democratic process and prevent judicial review of this plan.
This is no way to create policy and it's no way to manage wolves.
Thank you for your dedication to preserving our nation's disappearing wildlife and wild places.
Sincerely,
Leda Huta
Executive Director
Endangered Species Coalition
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