Wolfwatcher needs YOU to help Wyoming's Wolves

Act Now to Help Wyoming’s Wolves

On Tuesday, Nov. 15th, US Fish and Wildlife is planning a public hearing about Wyoming’s wolf management plan from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Central Wyoming College. There will be an informational meeting beforehand, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

We urgently request that you leave a comment with US Fish and Wildlife at

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FWS-R6-ES-2011-0039-0001   

BACKGROUND

• This summer, WY Gov. Mead and Interior Sec. Salazar reached agreement on a plan to turn management of Wyoming’s wolves over to the state. It requires Wyoming to (1) maintain at least 10 breeding pairs and 100 wolves outside of Yellowstone National Park, (2) classify wolves as UNprotected predators that could be shot on sight in most areas. (3) classify wolves as trophy game animals in a flexible trophy game zone in the northwestern corner of the state, right outside Yellowstone. 

• In addition, U.S. Rep. Lummis (WY) inserted a wolf delisting rider in the 2012 Interior budget bill which seeks to permanently delist wolves in WY and prevents the plan from being subjected to judicial review.

• This week, a committee of Wyoming lawmakers voted unanimously to recommend approval of a plan that could delist gray wolves in the state as soon as next year. The full Legislature will consider the issue when it meets in February.

NATIONAL WOLFWATCHER COALITION’S POSITION

We believe  WY’s proposed plan is completely unacceptable because:

• it recklessly removes protections for gray wolves in a manner that can potentially unravel the scientific recovery of wolves across the region.

• wolves will have no protection whatsoever in almost 90 percent of the state, and are susceptible to killing by anyone, at any time, in any manner, without even requiring a license.

• wolves would be classified as trophy game animals in a limited “flexible trophy game zone” in the northwestern corner of the state, right outside Yellowstone; this endangers wolves’ connectivity with neighboring wolves in Idaho, and thus, will negatively impact their biological diversity. 

• wolves draw tourists who spend millions of dollars a year in Wyoming; the economic impact of the potential loss of revenue to the state could be catastrophic 

• Mead and Salazar’s plan is very similar to the plan the US Fish and Wildlife Service rejected a few years ago; if it wasn’t right then, then it isn’t right now.

• according to the USDA, less than a quarter of one percent, 0.23%,  of the American cattle inventory was lost to native carnivores and dogs in 2010.

• elk herd populations are at or above goals set by the state game agencies in most places – MT, WY, ID have a combined population exceeding 371,000+  elk. There are localized areas where elk populations have declined following reintroduction of wolves but even US FWS acknowledged those declines cannot be attributed to wolf activity alone. Elk populations naturally fluctuate depending on the abundance of food, weather conditions, warming temperatures, and habitat loss. These regional trends have been documented for several decades, many established long before wolf reintroduction.

As always, we appreciate and depend upon the informed voice and actions of our supporters to help wolves.  This is an urgent situation.   Please share this message far and wide and encourage others to comment.  Thank you.

Diane Bentivegna

National Wolfwatcher Coalition

Understand, Love, Protect