As some of you know, I am a wolf enthusiast. This link tells a little about my Gray Wolf, Baby. who lived with me for 13 years and who still owns a large piece of my heart. So I am extremely upset that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has just approved the Bush Administration’s plan to eliminate Endangered Species Act protections for wolves in Idaho and Montana ~ a decision that could lead to the deaths of nearly 1,000 wolves, including those in the western Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.
Delisting wolves is contingent upon two things that have not yet been achieved: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's plan must be based on current, credible science that ensures a healthy, sustainable and well-connected wolf population level. All of the states in the delisting area must have wolf management requisitions that provide for such a sustainable wolf population after Federal protections are lifted.
Salazar's decision fails to adequately address biological concerns about the lack of genetic exchange among wolf populations in the Northern Rockies. These concerns led a Federal court to overturn the same delisting rule late last year when the Bush Administration issued it. This decision also fails to address concerns with Idaho's state wolf management plan and regulations that undermine the goal of a sustainable wolf population by killing massive numbers of wolves.
If this dismays you as it does me, please make your voice heard.
Call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 1-800-344-9453, select option "3" for "endangered species" and hit "O" to speak with the operator. Once you are connected, deliver this simple message:
I am calling to express my extreme disappointment in Interior Secretary Salazar’s decision to eliminate Endangered Species Act protections for wolves in the Northern Rockies states of Idaho and Montana.
If his decision is allowed to stand, nearly two-thirds of the wolves in the Northern Rockies could be killed. I strongly urge Secretary Salazar to stop the implementation of this awful rule and reconsider his approach to wolf conservation in the Northern Rockies.
I added that when we elected President Obama, we expected broad-spectrum change. Secretary Salazar is implementing a discredited Bush Administration policy, so I hope that President Obama will step in and urge him to reverse his decision which violates the Endangered Species Act and allows more than 1,000 out of the roughly 1,500 wolves in the region to be killed.
Wolves are not only highly intelligent, magical animals, but an extremely important part of our ecosystem. They cannot speak for themselves, so I hope that as many of you as possible will take the time to speak for them, and for all of us who share the natural world. I had to wait 13 minutes to speak to someone who was polite but clearly bored. Still, they are required to log all messages they receive so I am hopeful that if enough people call, Secretary Salazar will reverse this brutal policy.
Thank you for caring!
21 comments:
Thank you. I'll call.
Thanks for the heads-up. I'll send a message, too.
~*
I called.
i'm on it. afterall, i don't want those three little pigs getting all uppity
I was shocked when I heard about the decision. Just shocked.
I'm baffled. Is Salazar really Palin in disguise? I'll call.
Mission accomplished. Judy is calling now on her cell phone.
Will do!
Thank you for motivating me. You know, I grew up in central Montana, and so all Yellowstone Park issues were the first politically-charged things to really hit me (such as killing bison who wander out of the park).
Oh, wolfies.
Please let me know the avenues to protest from Australia.I promise, given some info, I'll get on to it straight away.
Windy,
Thank you!
Chani,
And YOU!
Bob,
That's my boy.
Van,
We'll huff and we'll puff and we'll BLOWWWWWWW Salazar's house down.
SHG,
I am shocked, too. It's a repulsive decision which must be reversed.
Mojo,
Sadly, there are many Palins.
Monty,
Thank you and Judy for joining the battle -- and it IS a battle.
I hope her convalescence is coming along well.
Citizen,
I know you will. :)
Jocelyn,
Yellowstone and its animals are a precious resource that must be protected. As you know, the way most people and governments treat animals is a pet peeve of mine, pun intended.
Pam,
There is an email address for the US fish and Wildlife Services - contact@fws,gov, which will also work for those who are kept holding too long.
Thank you for caring from so far away.
I'm on it. Honestly, must we destroy everything beautiful on this planet?
The irony in this is that not so many years ago your National Park Service shipped wolves from British Columbia into Yellowstone Park because there were so few left and the balance had been completely screwed. You have my respect for your stance and the wolf cub is gorgeous. Did you ever read Farley Mowatt's Never Cry Wolf? It was made into a not bad movie with Charles Martin Smith taking the Mowatt role.
Meno,
Sadly, it seems so.
Perhaps there should be Human Management regulations.
Ian,
Exactly. Two wolf packs were relocated to Yellowstone to correct the ecological imbalance and monitored for several years to ensure their survival.
I have probably read every book written about wolves, including Mowatt's.
Oh my. Consider it done.
I am Canadian, so my voice means little to U.S. politicians. But I'll send the message. Every species needs to be preserved in all of their habitat. Biodiversity is important.
V.
Sweet Pea,
I'm happy that you're honoring Peanut's ancestors. :)
Voyager,
I'm not sure American voices mean much to U.S. politicians either, but biodiversity should not be dependent upon nationality. Thanks for helping!
You know I will do this!
Thanks for posting it!
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
Scarlett,
I do know that about you!
Thanx.
I will too! Promise!
Jalilah,
I know you will.
Are you ever going to post again? I've read your last one 3 times hoping to prime the pump.
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