Take Action! Local Wolves Facing Grave Threat!
Thank you to those of you who took action on this last year. Unfortunately Idaho is still determined to de-list wolves. We need your help again.
Idaho Governor "Butch" Otter has said the state will seek to kill 75% of the wolf population; Idaho's official position (based on House Joint Memorial 5 which prefaces the Idaho wolf Management plan) calls for removing all wolves from Idaho "by any means necessary".
Your help is urgently needed!
Your comments are due May 9th and can be made electronically by emailing: NRMGrayWolf@fws.gov , include "RIN number 1018-AU58" in the subject line of the message. By mail to: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Wolf Delisting, 555 Shepard Way, Helena MT 59601 or by fax to: (405) 449-5339
Talking Points: I oppose the Fish and Wildlife Service's proposal to delist of the gray wolf.
The Endangered Species Act requires that the gray wolf be fully recovered before it can be delisted, and that States like Wyoming and Idaho have responsible plans in place to manage wolf populations. The Fish & Wildlife Service should wait to propose delisting under the Endangered Species Act until all the factors that once led to wolf eradication are adequately addressed. Such plans must be in place in every state in the Northern Rockies region and are an essential part of the delisting process.
Today wolves are not ready to lose federal protection because:
- The Wyoming and Idaho plans will not protect wolves. Wolf management should not be turned over to states whose state plans do not provide sufficient protections to ensure wolf populations exist into the future.
- The FWS should not be including portions of adjacent states into the proposed area for delisting, especially where the adjacent states have asked not to be included. Washington State is just starting the development of its own wolf plan and does not want the FWS splitting off 1/3 of the state for differing levels of protection.
- Because wolves travel easily across state borders, protections in the Northern Rockies should not be lifted until all states (Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Montana) have wolf plans that can provide the continued protections wolves need to survive. The boundaries FWS drew for including parts of Oregon and Washington don't make sense for any potential wolf recovery in these states. The FWS has said the areas where federal protections would be lifted would be high conflict areas for wolves, but these are also the very areas wolves must travel through to recolonize elsewhere in the state.
- Robust wolf populations in Idaho and Wyoming are essential to return wolves to Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Utah, which are all part of the gray wolf's historic range.
- Wyoming would allow wolves to be shot on sight in most of the State, and the Fish and Wildlife Service has rejected Wyoming's management plan.
- Idaho Governor Butch Otter has said the state will seek to kill 75% of the wolf population; Idaho's official position (based on House Joint Memorial 5 which prefaces the Idaho wolf Management plan) calls for removing all wolves from Idaho "by any means necessary". It is not clear that current wolf populations are adequate to ensure recovery in the region. Human population growth, habitat development and disease present ongoing challenges to wolf recovery.
In the meantime, we can do more to help wolves and the people who are experiencing conflicts with them:
The Fish and Wildlife Service could and should do more to help resolve conflicts with livestock owners, using non-lethal methods where possible.
Before wolves can be delisted:
- Every state with wolf populations must have a credible plan in place to maintain healthy, sustainable wolf populations.
- The Fish and Wildlife Service must thoroughly examine how trends in habitat loss could increase human-caused mortality of wolves, and take steps to avoid any future harm to the wolves.
- The Fish and Wildlife Service must establish a science-based ecosystem approach to wolf recovery.
- There must be demonstrated wolf movement between the populations of Yellowstone, central Idaho and Glacier.
- There must be adequate funding in place to ensure that healthy wolf populations can be maintained; currently there are no guarantees of adequate funding.
This is your opportunity to save these animals! Don't let it, and the wolves, disappear!
Read a Lewiston Tribune article about the Spokane public hearing on March 8th http://www.landscouncil.org/news/wolf_supporters_say_they_don_t_trust_idaho.asp
To learn more visit http://wildwolves.homeip.net/IdahoWolves/ResistingDelisting1.html
Informant: smileycoyote
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wolves
Idaho Governor "Butch" Otter has said the state will seek to kill 75% of the wolf population; Idaho's official position (based on House Joint Memorial 5 which prefaces the Idaho wolf Management plan) calls for removing all wolves from Idaho "by any means necessary".
Your help is urgently needed!
Your comments are due May 9th and can be made electronically by emailing: NRMGrayWolf@fws.gov , include "RIN number 1018-AU58" in the subject line of the message. By mail to: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Wolf Delisting, 555 Shepard Way, Helena MT 59601 or by fax to: (405) 449-5339
Talking Points: I oppose the Fish and Wildlife Service's proposal to delist of the gray wolf.
The Endangered Species Act requires that the gray wolf be fully recovered before it can be delisted, and that States like Wyoming and Idaho have responsible plans in place to manage wolf populations. The Fish & Wildlife Service should wait to propose delisting under the Endangered Species Act until all the factors that once led to wolf eradication are adequately addressed. Such plans must be in place in every state in the Northern Rockies region and are an essential part of the delisting process.
Today wolves are not ready to lose federal protection because:
- The Wyoming and Idaho plans will not protect wolves. Wolf management should not be turned over to states whose state plans do not provide sufficient protections to ensure wolf populations exist into the future.
- The FWS should not be including portions of adjacent states into the proposed area for delisting, especially where the adjacent states have asked not to be included. Washington State is just starting the development of its own wolf plan and does not want the FWS splitting off 1/3 of the state for differing levels of protection.
- Because wolves travel easily across state borders, protections in the Northern Rockies should not be lifted until all states (Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Montana) have wolf plans that can provide the continued protections wolves need to survive. The boundaries FWS drew for including parts of Oregon and Washington don't make sense for any potential wolf recovery in these states. The FWS has said the areas where federal protections would be lifted would be high conflict areas for wolves, but these are also the very areas wolves must travel through to recolonize elsewhere in the state.
- Robust wolf populations in Idaho and Wyoming are essential to return wolves to Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Utah, which are all part of the gray wolf's historic range.
- Wyoming would allow wolves to be shot on sight in most of the State, and the Fish and Wildlife Service has rejected Wyoming's management plan.
- Idaho Governor Butch Otter has said the state will seek to kill 75% of the wolf population; Idaho's official position (based on House Joint Memorial 5 which prefaces the Idaho wolf Management plan) calls for removing all wolves from Idaho "by any means necessary". It is not clear that current wolf populations are adequate to ensure recovery in the region. Human population growth, habitat development and disease present ongoing challenges to wolf recovery.
In the meantime, we can do more to help wolves and the people who are experiencing conflicts with them:
The Fish and Wildlife Service could and should do more to help resolve conflicts with livestock owners, using non-lethal methods where possible.
Before wolves can be delisted:
- Every state with wolf populations must have a credible plan in place to maintain healthy, sustainable wolf populations.
- The Fish and Wildlife Service must thoroughly examine how trends in habitat loss could increase human-caused mortality of wolves, and take steps to avoid any future harm to the wolves.
- The Fish and Wildlife Service must establish a science-based ecosystem approach to wolf recovery.
- There must be demonstrated wolf movement between the populations of Yellowstone, central Idaho and Glacier.
- There must be adequate funding in place to ensure that healthy wolf populations can be maintained; currently there are no guarantees of adequate funding.
This is your opportunity to save these animals! Don't let it, and the wolves, disappear!
Read a Lewiston Tribune article about the Spokane public hearing on March 8th http://www.landscouncil.org/news/wolf_supporters_say_they_don_t_trust_idaho.asp
To learn more visit http://wildwolves.homeip.net/IdahoWolves/ResistingDelisting1.html
Informant: smileycoyote
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wolves
rudkla - 7. Apr, 09:39
