Good News!
From Defenders.org, US Fish and Wildlife to place Northern Rockies wolves back on the endangered species list.
WASHINGTON - According to recent statements by senior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) officials, FWS intends to rescind its own wolf delisting rule - issued in March - sometime this week. This will place the Northern Rockies gray wolf back under federal protections.
This action comes on the heels of a decision in July by the U.S. District Court in Missoula granting a request by a coalition of twelve conservation groups for a preliminary injunction, which temporarily placed wolves back under federal protection. The court determined that plaintiffs were likely to prevail against FWS on its claims that delisting was premature because of concerns regarding genetic isolation and the adequacy of state management plans. FWS now intends to ask the court to remand the issue to FWS so it can reconsider its delisting decision.
The following is a statement from Rodger Schlickeisen, President for Defenders of Wildlife.
"This is a great victory for wolf conservation in the Northern Rockies and everyone working for wolf conservation.
"We're extremely pleased that the Fish and Wildlife Service has finally bowed to reality by recognizing that there are serious scientific and legal problems underlying their delisting rule -- as biologists and conservation groups have said since this flawed delisting rule was proposed, and which the federal court clearly recognized this summer.
"This action is vital for the continued survival of wolves in the region. The delisting of wolves was inappropriate and illegal in large part because existing state management plans are inadequate to ensure the long term conservation of wolves in the region, allowing far too many wolves to be unnecessarily killed.
"We are glad the wolves are back under the protection of the Endangered Species Act and we hope that the next administration will put politics aside when making wolf management decisions, instead making them based on sound science and the participation of all interested stakeholders.
"We hope that the state agencies will take this opportunity to work with the Fish and Wildlife Service and conservation groups to revisit their plans and put the long term conservation of wolves in the wild in forefront of future wolf management efforts. If they do, we are confident that agreement can be reached on science-based responsible, balanced management plans that will benefit wolves, ranchers, hunters, Northern Rockies residents and all Americans who care deeply about wildlife conservation."
Learn more about how Defenders is working to save wolves in the Northern Rockies
###
Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in
their natural communities. With more than 1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife s a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is going to reevaluate its decision in the coming months. If you have a moment, send a note to Dale Hall, head of the FWS, thanking him for his decision to rescind the delisting, and encouraging him to adopt a more reasonable, responsible management plan for wolves in the Northern Rockies.
And don't forget, we still need to pass the PAW Act to end aerial hunting.
A good article explaining aerial hunting, and why it's so dreadful, is here at Slate.
There are other ways you can take action on other wolf-related issues at the Defenders Save Wolves page. It only takes a minute.
And, just because it's fun, a neato article about wolves learning to hunt bison in Yellowstone is here at the Billings Gazette. Link goes to printer version, because the comments on the regular version aren't worth reading.
I'm sorry I haven't had the energy to run the auction I wanted to run this year, though some people have donated items and I will hopefully auction those off before I move. I do want to thank everyone who took the time to write in about this or donate to Defenders or who, last year, participated in my fund-raising auction to benefit Defenders by either donating auction goods or buying them. The money you helped raised for the Bailey Carnivore Fund and the Defenders legal fund made a very real difference. Our confidence in Defenders of Wildlife was not misplaced. This is my second year on the President's Council, and I plan to stay there.
This is a huge step, but it's not over, and it may never be over. The wolf is one of the most unjustifiably hated and maligned animals on the planet, and in a world where we cannot even get human beings to agree that other human beings are worthy of fundamental human rights, there is little doubt that some will always begrudge the wolf its wild places. I, for one, wouldn't want to live in a world without them, and as long as there are others out there who feel the same and are willing to stand as allies to our world's carnivores, I am confident that the wolf will continue to flourish alongside us.
WASHINGTON - According to recent statements by senior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) officials, FWS intends to rescind its own wolf delisting rule - issued in March - sometime this week. This will place the Northern Rockies gray wolf back under federal protections.
This action comes on the heels of a decision in July by the U.S. District Court in Missoula granting a request by a coalition of twelve conservation groups for a preliminary injunction, which temporarily placed wolves back under federal protection. The court determined that plaintiffs were likely to prevail against FWS on its claims that delisting was premature because of concerns regarding genetic isolation and the adequacy of state management plans. FWS now intends to ask the court to remand the issue to FWS so it can reconsider its delisting decision.
The following is a statement from Rodger Schlickeisen, President for Defenders of Wildlife.
"This is a great victory for wolf conservation in the Northern Rockies and everyone working for wolf conservation.
"We're extremely pleased that the Fish and Wildlife Service has finally bowed to reality by recognizing that there are serious scientific and legal problems underlying their delisting rule -- as biologists and conservation groups have said since this flawed delisting rule was proposed, and which the federal court clearly recognized this summer.
"This action is vital for the continued survival of wolves in the region. The delisting of wolves was inappropriate and illegal in large part because existing state management plans are inadequate to ensure the long term conservation of wolves in the region, allowing far too many wolves to be unnecessarily killed.
"We are glad the wolves are back under the protection of the Endangered Species Act and we hope that the next administration will put politics aside when making wolf management decisions, instead making them based on sound science and the participation of all interested stakeholders.
"We hope that the state agencies will take this opportunity to work with the Fish and Wildlife Service and conservation groups to revisit their plans and put the long term conservation of wolves in the wild in forefront of future wolf management efforts. If they do, we are confident that agreement can be reached on science-based responsible, balanced management plans that will benefit wolves, ranchers, hunters, Northern Rockies residents and all Americans who care deeply about wildlife conservation."
Learn more about how Defenders is working to save wolves in the Northern Rockies
###
Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in
their natural communities. With more than 1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife s a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is going to reevaluate its decision in the coming months. If you have a moment, send a note to Dale Hall, head of the FWS, thanking him for his decision to rescind the delisting, and encouraging him to adopt a more reasonable, responsible management plan for wolves in the Northern Rockies.
And don't forget, we still need to pass the PAW Act to end aerial hunting.
A good article explaining aerial hunting, and why it's so dreadful, is here at Slate.
There are other ways you can take action on other wolf-related issues at the Defenders Save Wolves page. It only takes a minute.
And, just because it's fun, a neato article about wolves learning to hunt bison in Yellowstone is here at the Billings Gazette. Link goes to printer version, because the comments on the regular version aren't worth reading.
I'm sorry I haven't had the energy to run the auction I wanted to run this year, though some people have donated items and I will hopefully auction those off before I move. I do want to thank everyone who took the time to write in about this or donate to Defenders or who, last year, participated in my fund-raising auction to benefit Defenders by either donating auction goods or buying them. The money you helped raised for the Bailey Carnivore Fund and the Defenders legal fund made a very real difference. Our confidence in Defenders of Wildlife was not misplaced. This is my second year on the President's Council, and I plan to stay there.
This is a huge step, but it's not over, and it may never be over. The wolf is one of the most unjustifiably hated and maligned animals on the planet, and in a world where we cannot even get human beings to agree that other human beings are worthy of fundamental human rights, there is little doubt that some will always begrudge the wolf its wild places. I, for one, wouldn't want to live in a world without them, and as long as there are others out there who feel the same and are willing to stand as allies to our world's carnivores, I am confident that the wolf will continue to flourish alongside us.