This
November, Michigan voters will have the opportunity to overturn
legislation allowing the state's small, fragile wolf population to be
hunted for trophies.
Michigan wolves were on the endangered
species list for more than 50 years. The federal government removed
these protections in 2012. Today, there are reportedly only 636 wolves
left in the state.
Hunters in other Midwestern states have used
guns, steel-jawed leg-hold traps and dogs to kill wolves, purely for the
thrill of the chase — and that could be in store for Michigan wolves,
too, unless citizens vote down two referendums on this November's
ballot.
Responsible hunters eat what they kill. No one eats wolves.
This
is more than a fight over the future of wolves in Michigan. The
Michigan Legislature passed Public Act 21 of 2013, allowing the
politically appointed Natural Resource Commission to add wolves to the
list of "game species" and open a wolf hunt. This bill was passed for
the sole reason of circumventing a referendum vote by Michigan citizens
on another wolf-hunting law.
With the passage of PA 21, the
longstanding constitutional right of the people of Michigan to voice
their opinion on what happens to the state's wildlife was taken away.
That's
why a group called Keep Michigan Wolves Protected, composed of
conservation groups, Native American tribes, wildlife scientists, faith
groups and other concerned Michigan citizens, collected almost 230,000
signatures to place a referendum of PA 21 on the November ballot.
This
is one of two referendums, which will be called Proposal 1 and Proposal
2 on the ballot, designed to ensure that Michigan voters have the right
to cast their vote to protect wolves and other wildlife. Proposal 2 is a
referendum on Public Act 520, which established the first wolf hunt
season back in 2012.
By voting "no" on both Proposals 1 and 2,
Michigan voters are not only saving wolves; they are also protecting
their democratic rights. Keep Michigan Wolves Protected will also sue to
block a pro-wolf hunting initiative passed by the Legislature without
allowing the residents of Michigan to vote on it. We believe this law
violates Michigan's Constitution.
There is no scientific basis for
the wolf hunt. The Michigan Legislature first authorized a wolf hunt
based on fabricated stories about human-wolf encounters. By challenging
the Natural Resource Commission's authority to open the hunt, hundreds
of wolves have been saved by Keep Michigan Wolves Protected.
Letting
the people of Michigan vote on this issue is the best way to protect
wildlife. Don't let private-interest groups determine the fate of
Michigan's wolves. Vote no on Proposals 1 and 2 in November. Not only
will your voice be heard, but you will give a voice to the iconic,
majestic wolf.
Cathy Kangas is a member of the Board of Directors of the Humane Society of the United States.
source
No comments:
Post a Comment