Stop the federal wolf killers for hire
Jamie Rappoport Clark, Defenders of Wildlife
Idaho’s war on wolves is about to take a new, gruesome turn.
The federal wildlife kill-for-hire agency misleadingly called “Wildlife Services” just received $225,000 from Idaho to aid the state’s ongoing wolf killing efforts. The money will help pay for aerial gunning, trapping and other lethal tactics.
It’s no secret that Idaho has declared war on its wolf population. But few people realize just how far Idaho has gone in its effort to dramatically reduce that population.
At the end of 2013, it was estimated that less than 20 breeding pairs of wolves survived in the Idaho wild - and that number will almost surely decline if Idaho’s War on Wolves continues. Since 2009, the number of breeding pairs has declined by more than 60 percent. Based on these plummeting numbers, the future of Idaho’s wolves is increasingly grim.
What’s worse, Idaho has contracted with Wildlife Services to help kill wolves in order to boost Idaho’s elk population for sport hunters. They will no longer be able to excuse their wolf killing as protecting livestock – Wildlife Services will be killing wolves for trying to live off of their natural prey.
Wildlife Services is often indiscriminant with the wolves they kill. Just last week, shooters under contract with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife mistakenly killed the alpha female of the Huckleberry pack in Washington State, throwing that pack’s future into jeopardy.
It’s shameful that a federal agency within the Department of Agriculture has been allowed to contract with Idaho to help it decimate its population of wolves. Idaho’s anti-wolf rampage is out of control. The last thing the federal government should be doing is aiding and abetting in this slaughter.
Tell the Secretary of Agriculture to order Wildlife Services to immediately stand down in Idaho!
Killed for being a wolf
Wildlife Services will be killing wolves in Idaho, just for trying to live off their natural prey.
Thank you for your passion and your commitment!
Sincerely,
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Jamie Rappaport Clark President Defenders of Wildlife |