Image courtesy of Bing
“It is
imperative that wolf delisting language, along with other harmful policy
riders that weaken the Endangered Species Act, are kept out of upcoming
government funding negotiations.” ~ Howling for Wolves alert
Wolves
are again the target of blood lust. This time riders are being attached
to a must-pass federal budget deal. They throw Michigan, Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Wyoming wolves off the Endangered Species List,
permanently, and bar the courts from protecting them. The courts have
been the only check and balance on good ol’ boy trophy-killing of
wolves. The riders authored by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Sen. John
Barrasso, R-Wyo., endanger the authority of and scientific standards set
by the Endangered Species Act as a safeguard for survival of species.
Please network the urgency of making calls to Johnson (202-224-5323 or via his website) and Tammy Baldwin (202-224-5653 or via her website) asking them to vote to remove these riders.
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and 25 other Democratic senators have urged President Obama to veto anti-Endangered Species Act and anti-wolf ventures. They deserve our support.
Recently John Vucetich, Michigan Tech associate professor of wildlife ecology, spoke on Wisconsin Public Radio,
discussing why he co-signed a letter by scientists and academics urging
legislators not to sabotage the effectiveness and intent of the
Endangered Species Act, and to continue to protect wolves. Adrian
Treves, head of the Carnivore Co-Existence Lab at the Nelson Institute,
also signed. "We present the scientific evidence that there (are) a lot of questions about adequate state management of wolves," he said. "A lot of unanswered scientific questions."
Vucetich
explained that humans have persecuted wolves since Europeans moved to
this continent bringing myth and misunderstanding. Although it is often
said that wolves now occupy only 5 percent of their historic range,
Vucetich put the figure at “less than 10 percent."
The
most important revelation of Vucetich’s radio interview was his
contention that law suggests a recovered species has to occupy most of
its historic range to be considered recovered and come off the
Endangered Species List. Even if half the former range is accepted as
adequate, he said, it is obvious that less than 10 percent is not a
recovery. He mused that if we do not want wolves to survive, that is one
decision that could be made — but it means neither success nor
recovery.
An example of continued state lunacy comes from Oregon, where a mere 81 wolves, those remaining, were removed from protection. States,
over and over again, have proven they cannot treat wolves with the
respect wolves deserve. They are too compromised by hunter control. The
Wisconsin Legislature and Department of Natural Resources are
particularly cruel and regressive: legalizing dogs fighting wolves,
trapping, and torture even while hunter websites brag about gut-shooting
and glory in wolf suffering.
Neither the Legislature nor
the DNR requires education to promote the celebration of wolves as our
natural ally and inform citizens of their vital role as a keystone
species.
A statewide poll conducted
by Mason-Dixon in 2013 found that Wisconsin citizens by a ratio of 8 to
1 want wolves to be protected. By a ratio of 9 to 1, Wisconsin citizens
do not want wolves to be run by packs of dogs, baited or trapped.
Those are compelling talking points to make to senators who are supposed to represent us in law-making.
Wisconsin’s Indian tribes also want to protect wolves. The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indian wolf stewardship plan is the most sane and respectful advocacy for wolves in the state:
•
“The Bad River Tribe feels there should be no population cap placed on
Ma’iingan (brother wolf) and management should be directed towards
resolving current and future wolf conflicts.
• The Tribe does not provide financial assistance for property lost or injured by wolves.
• (The) goal is to identify long term, non-lethal
solutions to areas with chronic wolf depredations. The killing of
individual animals that have caused a depredation is a short term fix.
To ensure a long term, non-lethal solution is achieved, the mechanism
driving the depredations must be identified and resolved. The impact
wolves have on farms across wolf country is minimal compared to other
negative impacts.”
USDA statistics
reveal that 3.7 percent of livestock deaths are caused by wolves in the
United States. By far the largest cause of cattle losses in Wisconsin
are respiratory problems and lameness or injury, whereas the largest
cause of calf losses are digestive problems and respiratory problems.
It
took 38 years and millions of dollars of citizen funding to support an
estimated 800 wolves in Wisconsin before the last three years' wolf
hunts. Madravenspeak documented
that over 1,100 wolves died in those three years, including illegal
killings estimated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, agricultural
tags, natural mortality, and legalized killing. It likely will take
another 38 years to recover from that killing spree. Yet the DNR claims
there are over 700 wolves in Wisconsin. Its estimates are highly
suspect.
The federal budget and these riders will be voted on before Dec. 11.
Howl for Brother Wolf now so he can live to protect the wilderness we are so wantonly destroying.
Patricia Randolph of Portage is a longtime activist for wildlife. madravenspeak@gmail.com or www.wiwildlifeethic.org
No comments:
Post a Comment