BREAKING: Bush/Cheney Admin. Puts Hundreds of Yellowstone Area Wolves at Risk

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BREAKING: Bush/Cheney Admin. Puts Hundreds of Yellowstone Area Wolves

at Risk

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LAWMAKERS CONCERNED WITH BUSH/CHENEY PLANS:

ACTION TO BE TAKEN IN NEXT FEW WEEKS

 

While most Americans have been celebrating the holidays, officials in

the Bush/Cheney Administration have been working behind the scenes to

pave the way for the killing of hundreds of wolves in the Greater

Yellowstone area.

 

Don't let them get away with it! Urge U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk

Kempthorne to abandon his efforts to allow states to start killing

wolves and stop promoting the premature de-listing of gray wolves in

the Northern Rockies.

 

Over the last several weeks, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has

been quietly moving forward with rule changes that would allow

officials in Idaho and Wyoming to begin killing wolves even before

gray wolves are removed from the list of federally protected

threatened and endangered species.

 

This latest proposal would jump start plans to use fixed-wing

aircraft, helicopters and other means to kill hundreds of wolves in

Idaho, leaving only a few more than 200 wolves in the state. In fact,

three-quarters of the wolves in the Lolo District of the Clearwater

National Forest could be removed… even before they are de-listed.

 

And, unfortunately, it's not just Idaho's wolves that are threatened

by the proposal. Hundreds of wolves in Wyoming could be shot and

trapped under the new rules -- whether wolves are removed from the

endangered and threatened species list or not.

 

A decision on the proposal is expected in the next few weeks. Please

email Secretary Kempthorne right now and let him know that you oppose

any proposal that would threaten the long-term future of wolves in

the Northern Rockies and Greater Yellowstone Region.

 

And the outlook for Wyoming wolves won't improve any if, as expected,

the Bush/Cheney Administration eliminates Endangered Species Act

protections for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies early next year.

 

On December 14th, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially

approved the State of Wyoming's wolf management plan, allowing state

officials to use aerial gunning and snares to shoot and trap as many

as two-thirds of the wolves in the state.

 

Just last week, Congressman Nick Rahall (D-WV), Wayne Gilchrest (R-

MD), George Miller (D-CA), Jim Saxton (R-NJ) and Norm Dicks (D-WA)

warned in a letter to Secretary Kempthorne that de-listing wolves in

the Northern Rockies now is a mistake.

 

In the letter, this bipartisan group of lawmakers cited grave

concerns with the state wolf management plans approved by the

Bush/Cheney Administration and their potential impact on the future

of wolves in the region.

 

Take a stand now. Send Secretary Kempthorne a message now and let him

know that you're outraged by the Bush/Cheney Administration's actions

and that you want a sustainable future for wolves in the region.

 

Defenders is mustering our resources to fight these terrible

proposals in the weeks ahead. But right now, we need you to speak out

for wolves with your message.

 

For the Wild Ones,

 

 

Rodger Schlickeisen

President

Defenders of Wildlife