Wolf Weekly Wrap Up

The new Congress, and a bill has been introduced to delist wolves in Wyoming and the Great Lakes region.

If this legislation passes, wolves will die.

Tell your Representative to oppose Congressional attempts to delist wolves. 

Even more despicable, the bill would prevent courts from reviewing the legitimacy of the law. 

We’ve seen wolf management Wyoming-style before. In 2012 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service delisted wolves in Wyoming. The state wildlife agency declared more than 80% of Wyoming a 'predator zone,' where anyone could kill as many wolves as they wanted any day of the year. Even wolves that wandered outside of the protection of Yellowstone National Park were at risk of being shot or trapped. 

One of the early victims of Wyoming's wolf killing was a magnificent collared Yellowstone wolf known only as "06." The matriarch of the Lamar Canyon pack, ‘06’ drew wolf-watchers from around the world. Her death just a few miles outside the Yellowstone National Park boundary was a tragic loss for science, for wolf tourism, and for her pack.

Thanks to a lawsuit brought by Defenders and our allies, a federal court ordered Wyoming’s wolves back on the endangered species list in 2014. But since then there’s been a continued effort in Congress to undo that decision. 

Protections under the Endangered Species Act are not supposed to be about politics. They’re supposed to be about science. And the science is abundantly clear: Wyoming’s plan is not acceptable for wolf recovery, and until Wyoming creates a science-based plan, these wolves continue to deserve federal protection. 

Please don’t let extremist politics crush sound science again. Take action today to protect our wolves.
Mexican Gray Wolf pup (c) Joel Satore
Photo by Joel Satore
Mexican gray wolves are the most endangered gray wolves in the world and unless more of them are released into the wild, they are doomed to go extinct. It’s crucial that we make it clear to the incoming administration that we’re not backing down from Mexican gray wolf recovery – please take action today! 
At the end of 2015 there were an estimated 97 Mexican gray wolves remaining in the wild. And just this week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) confirmed that 14 Mexican gray wolf deaths were documented last year, marking the most in any single year since the federal government began reintroducing the predators in New Mexico and Arizona in 1998

Please take action today. It’s critical that we make it clear to the incoming administration that we’re not backing down from Mexican gray wolf recovery!

The incoming Trump administration is a who’s who of climate change-denying oil and gas boosters and special interests. And, extremists in Congress are embarking on a ruthless campaign to turn the clock back on wildlife protection.
I won’t lie. Animals will die in alarming numbers if the extremists get their way.
I know you share you my love for wildlife. And you’ve been an important ally in protecting wolves, grizzlies and other wild things we love.
And, now’s a particularly good time to do this. Our Board of Directors and National Council have offered to donate $100 for each member who donates $15 or more monthly, up to $25,000.
We’ve seen that President-elect Trump views most things as resources to be exploited. And the ideologues and the oil barons he has named to his cabinet have their own agendas.
As a monthly sustainer, your support provides a steady, reliable source of contributions as we fight habitat loss and threats to wildlife.
  • What will happen to wolves in the lower 48 if stripped of all Endangered Species Act protection?
  • What will happen to dwindling African elephant populations if the doors are thrown open for importing illegal ivory?
  • What will happen to polar bears and other animals if the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other precious wild habitats are opened for drilling, fracking and mining?
These are real threats, just some of the many we are sure to face in the months and years ahead.
But your monthly donation will give us the resources we need to defend wildlife from the mounting threats they face. 
The Lobo’s Day in Court: On Wednesday, Jan. 18 the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals held a hearing on the state of New Mexico’s preliminary injunction, which has halted Mexican gray wolf releases for months now. Defenders of Wildlife was present, arguing on behalf of our conservation partners and wonderful members like you who want to see the lobo recovered. The Mexican gray wolf, or lobo, is the most endangered gray wolf in the world; it’s racing the clock on extinction in the wild. And New Mexico is paving the way for lobo extinction. With only 97 lobos in the U.S. wild and fewer than 25 in Mexico, we need more wolves and less politics. (The annual count set to be released next month will give us some updated numbers – watch this space!) We will make sure to let you know when the court makes their final decision on this injunction. Read about the appeals court hearing >>>