Good morning, We are very concerned after reading what Wisconsin Public Radio, NPR has published about the most recent news about the Federal Government reviewing removing gray wolf from the ESA.
In an emailed statement, USFWS spokeswoman Georgia Parham said the agency is working closely with federal, tribal and local partners to assess scientific data related to the wolf’s historic range, population and recovery.
Parham says “If appropriate, the Service will publish a proposal to revise the wolf’s status in the Federal Register by the end of the calendar year,” and “Any proposal will follow a robust, transparent and open public process that will provide opportunity for public comment.” Yet we know they do not use the most recent, best available science.
We won’t soon forget what happened when wolves were delisted in the western Great Lakes region, which includes Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan by the Fish and Wildlife Service in 2011. The next year, Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature established a controversial wolf hunting season. Over 1,500 wolves were slaughtered in hunts, including trapping and hounding. That lasted until 2014 when a federal judge ruled that the USFWS didn’t follow proper procedures by not accounting for things like how a loss of habitat may impact wolf recovery.
We need to get Congress to oppose activities that jeopardize threatened and endangered species populations and they need to support restoration of critical habitats. Support legislation to secure adequate funding for recovery of endangered and threatened species. Tell lawmakers to oppose all legislation to delist wolves. Especially YOUR elected officials. We know what happens when Feds delist wolves and turn total control over to the individual states —this is nothing but a death sentence for wolves.
Section 4 of ESA states that USFWS must designate a species’ critical habitat at the same time that the Agency lists the species. Critical habitat is defined as a specific geographic area that contains biological or physical features that are essential to the recovery of a threatened or endangered species. Critical habitat can also include any area that is not currently occupied by a threatened or endangered species but will likely be needed for its recovery. Really? We are not seeing that in WA or OR nor the other states wolves are living in. The habitat and home of the wolf is overflowing with cattle and other livestock. It becomes an even bigger problem when certain ranchers are not using enough deterrents and obviously providing a huge temptation and opportunity for wolves to seek easy prey like cattle and sheep left out defenseless. A mandatory deterrent policy should be in place and followed! We have all seen many that refuse to use all the necessary deterrents, non-lethal methods to secure their animals. No more excuses!
I volunteer my time to share everything I can with the public along with Roger and Patricia. They are currently working very hard to do everything possible to protect our wolves in so many ways and seeking justice for Robert Weigus after states Representative Joel Kretz broke the laws in WA State by issuing in-direct death threats against Dr. Robert Wielgus.
So I thank Warrior for Wolf for helping me find this :
The following are the areas where the Gray Wolf is protected as of now and they are the areas where they will be delisted under this new delisting proposal which the process has already been started for delisting !
Canis lupus Gray wolf 6 Endangered U.S.A.: All of AL, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IN, IL, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, and WV; and portions of AZ, NM, OR, UT, and WA as follows: (1) Northern AZ (that portion north of the centerline of Interstate Highway 40); (2) Northern NM (that portion north of the centerline of Interstate Highway 40); (3) Western OR (that portion of OR west of the centerline of Highway 395 and Highway 78 north of Burns Junction and that portion of OR west of the centerline of Highway 95 south of Burns Junction); (4) Most of Utah (that portion of UT south and west of the centerline of Highway 84 and that portion of UT south of Highway 80 from Echo to the UT/WY Stateline); and (5) Western WA (that portion of WA west of the centerline of Highway 97 and Highway 17 north of Mesa and that portion of WA west of the centerline of Highway 395 south of Mesa). Mexico.
So let’s get moving and contact our lawmakers, doing everything we possibly can to ensure that we have wolves protected to live out their lives peacefully the way our Creator intended and for our children and all future generations to learn about, benefit and enjoy ~ L.G
https://www.wpr.org/federal-government-reviewing-removing-gray-wolf-endangered-species-list