Sen. Hatch Targets Wolves
Defenders of Wildlife
The anti-wolf sentiment has moved from the U.S. House to the Senate as Utah's Orrin Hatch introduced a bill to remove federal protections for all gray wolves in the U.S. -- a move that would certainly doom the few remaining Mexican gray wolves struggling to survive in Arizona and New Mexico and set a dangerous precedent for removing Endangered Species Act protections for some of our most vulnerable wildlife.
U.S. activists without a senator can still email their representative. If you haven't already, urge your U.S. representative to reject anti-wolf bills in the House.
La Vida Lobo
After the most recent count, around 50 Mexican gray wolves remain in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico.
While poaching and anti-wolf hatred have stood in the way of el lobo's recovery, Defenders' partnerships with ranchers and a new eco-tourism initiative by the White Mountain Apache tribe could hold the key to the survival of these rare wolves.
Learn more from Defenders magazine.
Learn more and watch a video about the White Mountain Apache Wilderness Journey.
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Wins for Wildlife
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Arctic Reprieve Royal Dutch Shell has abandoned plans for exploratory drilling in the Beaufort Sea. The decision grants a temporary reprieve for U.S. polar bears. |
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Shielding the Refuge Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman introduced legislation to grant Wilderness protections to the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a move that would shield this national treasure from Big Oil's drills. |
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Big Win for Parrots and Mangroves In a major year-end victory in Mexico, Defenders' Juan Carlos Cantú helped secure protections for four different species of coastal mangrove trees and seven different species of imperiled parrots. |
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Wolfer Turned Advocate
Carter Niemeyer knows a thing or two about wolves. In fact, he's written a book (Wolfer: A Memoir) on his more than 25 years worth of experiences as a trapper for Wildlife Services and Idaho wolf recovery coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Now retired, Carter is calling on his former employer to help people coexist with wolves -- rather than perpetuating conflict.
"The problem isn’t the wolf," Carter said in an interview with Defenders. "It’s human/wolf conflicts both real and perceived, and these will most likely never go away."
Learn more about Carter Niemeyer and read the interview on Defenders' blog