Wolves needing help

1. Help Us Spread the Word. The powerful video below has already been viewed nearly 28,000 times on YouTube. To build support for the PAW Act and expose the truth behind Alaska's vicious aerial wolf-killing programs, we need your help to reach even more people.

NOTE: This video contains graphic photos of an actual aerial wolf-killing effort. It may not be suitable for children or other sensitive individuals.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIOjoKY5Nl0

http://www.defendersactionfund.org/ for more info about the brutal slaughter of the Alaskan Wolves.

On that note have a good weekend,

Nowzad Dogs

registered charity 1119185

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Mission Statement: To relieve the suffering of animals, predominantly stray and abandoned dogs, in need of care, attention and to provide and maintain rescue facilities for the care and treatment of such animals, especially the dogs of Afghanistan.

Nothing to Fear From the Big Bald Wolf

By Virginia Morell
ScienceNOW Daily News
23 October 2009

Shortly after gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995, Daniel MacNulty was puzzled by something. The breeding pair in one of the packs frequently stopped during their elk hunts to rest. "They sat on the sidelines while their offspring did the work," says MacNulty, an ecologist from Michigan Technological University in Houghton. "After their kids made the kill, they would amble up to feed."
Laziness? Not at all. The two were almost 5 years old, which MacNulty has learned is fairly old age for wolves. His new study is one of the first to look at the effects of aging in predators, and it raises questions about current methods of controlling wolf populations. "It's an exciting paper and should become a classic," says ecologist John Fryxell of the University of Guelph in Canada.

MacNulty has followed 94 radio-collared wolves in Yellowstone for 13 years, closely monitoring their hunts for two 30-day periods during each of those years. His research on these individual canids shows that wolves age rapidly. Indeed, by age 2 they're in their hunting prime, drawing on youthful endurance and sudden bursts of speed to take down elk. But just as quickly, they lose that talent, MacNulty's team reports online in Ecology Letters. "Wolves are old when they're 4," he says. The median life span for wolves in Yellowstone is 6 years, although some have lived as long as 10. Those older wolves manage to survive because the younger ones in their pack pick up the slack, killing elk and letting all the pack members feed. Older wolves are also heftier and may come in at the end of a hunt to use their weight to help pull down the elk, says MacNulty.

As one might expect, aging predators are good news for prey. The wolves' kill rate on elk in Yellowstone declined significantly as the number of geriatric hunters in the wolf population increased. And that could have cascading effects on the ecosystem. For instance, elk may linger and browse on woody plants when elderly wolves are around. More browsing could slow the recovery of willows and aspen trees, which have come back since the wolves' reintroduction.

Fryxell says ecologists are starting to realize that age needs to be included in models of predator-prey abundance. Game managers should pay attention as well. Most managers who want to boost numbers of elk and deer think all you need to do is kill wolves, says ecologist Christopher Wilmers of the University of California, Santa Cruz. "But this study shows you're probably increasing your problem, since you'll end up with younger wolves that kill more prey." That's because when a pack vanishes or is weakened and loses its territory, he says, younger wolves often move in. "You're better off leaving the wolves alone."

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/1023/1?etoc

Urge President Obama to Stand Up for Wolves-Petition to Sign!

On March 6th, 2009, U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar approved the Bush Administration's discredited plan to eliminate Endangered Species Act protections for wolves in Idaho and Montana -- a decision that could lead to the deaths of more than 1,000 wolves!

Help us save these wolves! Fill out the form below to urge President Obama (Secretary Salazar’s boss) to stop Salazar's plan and maintain Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in Idaho and Montana.


Cottonwood Pack Tragedy

The Cottonwood wolves of Yellowstone National Park became some of the latest victims of a flawed wolf delisting rule.
I have sad news. Yellowstone National Park¹s famous Cottonwood Pack has just been destroyed -- all the adult wolves have been killed, and the surviving pups will likely die without the rest of their wolf family.
The Cottonwoods are just some of the latest victims of the federal government¹s likely illegal decision to eliminate vital protections for our wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the northern Rockies. Unless we are successful in urging Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to reverse this bad decision, hundreds more wolves will be killed.
Please sign our petition and urge Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to immediately take action to restore protections for these amazing animals.
The Cottonwood wolves are not alone. They¹re among the more than 60 wolves already killed in the region -- a disturbingly high number for a hunting season only weeks old.
I was there when the first wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park, and I have personally guided Defenders members to watch the Cottonwood Pack. It is particularly heartbreaking to see one of America's greatest conservation victories slip from our grasp because of a policy mistake. But there is still time to correct it -- and if we act quickly, we can still save the lives of literally hundreds of wolves in the region.
Our wolves need your voice -- and the support of as many others as possible who care about the future of these magnificent animals.
Sign this important petition today. We will personally hand-deliver your signatures to the Department of the Interior as a powerful statement that America supports a lasting future for our wolves.
The next few weeks will be crucial for our wolves in this region. The truth is, the future of wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the northern Rockies is at a crossroads -- and it will take the voices of caring wildlife supporters like you to make a difference.
Last month, a federal judge ruled that we are likely to win our lawsuit to restore protections for these beloved wolves. But with the lives of hundreds of wolves at stake, we can¹t wait for the final ruling on our case -- a ruling that will likely not come for many months.
The Cottonwood wolves were not the first victims of the flawed delisting -- and they certainly won¹t be the last. The time has come to correct the unacceptable error made by the Obama administration that continues to erode one of the greatest conservation victories of the last century. Please lend your voice to help save our wolves.
Together, we can ensure that wolves will be an enduring part of America.

Sincerely,
Rodger SchlickeisenPresidentDefenders of Wildlife


P.S. No new administration is immune from mistakes -- even big ones like this. We are strongly encouraging Obama's Interior Department to recognize their error and correct it immediately. But we need your help to make sure they know how important this is. Please sign our petition today.


P.S. If you would like to support our work to save wolves in the Greater Yellowstone and northern Rockies region, please donate online, or call 1-800-385-9712.
Defenders Home <http://action.defenders.org/site/R?i=iqlo9BJ1VO9YIxi4hQaxjQ..>
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Donate Now <http://action.defenders.org/site/R?i=08OH4NRMiLN1E9GiENOpCg..>

Defenders of Wildlife-Petition to Sign!

Dear Friend of Wolves,

Yellowstone National Park's famous Cottonwood Pack has just been destroyed -- all the adult wolves have been killed and the surviving pups will likely die without their wolf family. These are just some of the latest victims of the federal government's likely illegal decision to eliminate vital protections for our wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the northern Rockies.

Please sign Defenders of Wildlife's petition and urge Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to immediately take action to restore protections for these amazing animals. http://action.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1586


The next few weeks will be crucial for our wolves in the Greater Yellowstone region. The future of wolves in the northern Rockies is at a crossroads -- and it will take the voices of caring wildlife supporters like you and me to make a difference.

I just signed Defenders' petition to Secretary Salazar -- and I hope you will, too. Please sign on today and help support a lasting future for wolves in America.

Thanks!

Wolf Biologist Killed In Plane Crash in Denali National Park, Pilot Survived

Posted October 16th, 2009 by Kurt Repanshek


Noted wolf biologist Gordon Haber was killed in this plane crash. NPS photos.
A noted Alaskan wolf biologist has been killed in a plane crash in a remote area of Denali National Park and Preserve. The pilot, though he suffered burns, was able to walk out and alert authorities.

Dr. Gordon Haber and pilot Dan McGregor had left Wednesday for a flight over the northern end of the park to monitor wolf packs. When the Cessna 185 didn't return on schedule that evening, authorities were notified and an aerial search was mounted by the National Park Service and Alaska State Troopers.

Wreckage of the single-engine plane was spotted from the air Thursday afternoon on a steep slope west of the East Fork of the Toklat River, approximately seven miles north of the Denali Park Road, park officials said. "A search plane was able to land later in the afternoon on the river bar approximately one-half mile below the crash site, and an Alaska State Trooper hiked to the scene to investigate. The aircraft was substantially damaged by the impact and the post crash fire, but the trooper was able to determine the presence of human remains before increasing darkness prevented his further investigation," they said.

The 35-year-old McGregor told authorities that after the crash he walked to the Denali Park Road where he found two campers at the Igloo Creek Campground who drove him to his home, according to a park release. Once home, the pilot called his family to let them know he was OK, and the authorities, the release said.

The National Park Service was notified of his situation about 10:30 p.m. Thursday.

"McGregor was alert and in good spirits, talking to friends and family via cell phone while being treated and waiting for the air ambulance to arrive from Fairbanks," a park release said. "It is estimated that he walked approximately 20 miles during his ordeal. He will be interviewed later by National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) personnel as part of the accident investigation. McGregor has confirmed that remains found at the crash site are those of Gordon Haber. Rangers are stationed at the remote crash site overnight, in order to secure the scene prior to arrival of NTSB investigators on Friday."

Dr. Haber, 67, who has studied Denali's wolves since 1966, long had been critical of Alaska's wolf management plans, particularly their hunting and trapping regulations, according to John Quinley, the Park Service's assistant regional director for communications in Alaska.

“He has been an advocate for stronger protection of wolves, particularly on the northern and eastern boundaries of Denali, which in various configurations have been open to trapping in recent years, outside the park’s boundary," the Park Service spokesman said Thursday afternoon. "His concern was, in part, that those wolves on the eastern end, some of the packs, have been studied going way way back, back to when (Adolph) Murie was working in Denali, and he saw a danger if those long-studied packs were eliminated by trapping or hunting that that’s a significant loss for the park and park visitors.

"He also saw that some of those eastern wolves, they’re protected in the park and they wander around particularly close to people at various times of years and they wander outside the park, in the spring, and if they wander close to people they wind up dead, in traps particularly," said Mr. Quinley.
Full article and pictures:http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2009/10/wolf-biologist-killed-plane-crash-denali-national-park-pilot-survived4767

Well-Known Yellowstone Wolves Killed in Controversial Hunt

By Natural Resources Defense Council , The Earth's Best Defense -

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Several wolves have already been killed by hunters in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in Montana. Some of the famous wolves in Yellowstone have been killed. And radio-collared wolves that were part of Yellowstone's important wolf studies have even been killed.But this isn't the way Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) planned it, says Carolyn Sime, the agency's wolf program coordinator, in a Billings Gazette article published this week.The article states that Sime and FWP are surprised by how many wolves are being killed in the backcountry wilderness areas. According to the article:That's not what FWP had envisioned. The agency has viewed the hunt, in part, as a way to remove the predators from the front country where they're more likely to interact with or kill livestock. If only wolves in the backcountry are killed, FWP isn't meeting part of its objective. . . . [Sime] said wildlife managers want to encourage wolves to remain in the backcountry, away from potential conflicts with livestock. "So what we're learning is that maybe we need to rethink these backcountry hunts and see if we can fine-tune that."Really? How could FWP have expected anything else when they opened the backcountry wilderness areas to wolf-hunting on September 15th -- and wolf-hunting in the front country doesn't open until October 25th? With anti-wolf rhetoric boiling over in the Northern Rockies, what did they think was going to happen during the 40 days that only the backcountry was open to hunting?Sime also contradicts herself in explaining FWP's rationale for the "low" quota:"We didn't think wolves would be that vulnerable to firearms harvest. The uncertainty is why we went with a low quota to begin with."If they didn't think wolves would be vulnerable to "firearms harvest" (what a euphemism!), there would be no incentive to set a low quota. The first part of her statement would only make sense if she was defending a high quota, and the second part would only make sense if they thought wolves would easily be killed.And those famous Yellowstone wolves you've seen in the Park or on PBS and the Discovery Channel? Yes, I'm talking about the Yellowstone wolves that bring people from all over the world to Yellowstone, where wolf-watching tourists annually spend about $35 million in the region.Some of those wolves are being harvested by firearms just outside the northern border of the Park in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Without a no-hunting buffer zone around Yellowstone to protect the Park's famous packs, this was inevitable. It will be interesting to see what effect the poorly planned hunt has on Yellowstone's wolf-watching tourists, not to mention the wolves themselves.
Full article:http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/opinion-well-known-yellowstone-wolves-killed-in-controversial-hunt

Gov. Otter prepares to buy wolf tag and hunt this fall-Action Alert

Friends of Animals/Please don't buy potatoes grown in Idaho until this state's violenceagainst wolves stops.Contact: Gov. Butch Otter<http://gov.idaho.gov/WebRespond/contact_form.html> or call Gov. Otterat 208-334-2100 to sound off.//Governor, respecting wolves and hating them isn't the same./ view comments<http://www.friendsofanimals.org/news/2009/august/gov-otter-prepares-t.html#comments> add yours<http://www.friendsofanimals.org/news/2009/august/gov-otter-prepares-t.html#post>
Gov. Otter prepares to buy wolf tag and hunt this fall
August 20, 2009/The Ohio Statesman.com
http://www.idahostatesman.com/mobilechannels/story/870564.html
By Rocky Barker
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter endorsed the 220-wolf limit set by the Idaho Fishand Game Commission and repeated his vow to go wolf hunting this fall.The commission set the number lower than Idaho hunters and lawmakers hadbeen pushing for in a effort to avoid an injunction that would stop theseason by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy. Defenders of Wildlife saidafter the decision it would ask Molloy to stop the hunt while he decideson the lawsuit it and other groups have filed asking to put wolves inIdaho and Montana back on the Endangered Species list. (cont.)"I understand the commission's conservative and thoughtful action thatthey took because obviously we want to demonstrate we can manage them,"Otter said. "We also want to find out if we can manage them with ourhunter community."Otter made national news in January of 2007 when he told a group ofIdaho hunters on the Capitol steps, "I'm prepared to bid for the firstticket to shoot a wolf myself." He said Wednesday in an interview heplanned to buy an $11.75 tag along with thousands of Idaho hunters.Otter said he shares the concerns of hunters that wolves are reducingelk populations in the state but he urged them to hold their anxietiesin check."I believe that the fact we're going to have a hunting season isimportant," Otter said. "We're going to be given a chance in thishunting season to demonstrate that we can be responsible and the fedsare not going to have to come in and manage."Otter urged wolf advocates to remember how far the wolf population hascome and the promises they made to westerners when they pushingreintroduction in the early 1990s. The original goal set in 1994 was 10packs in each of three states or about 120 wolves."We exceeded their proposed numbers and they were the ones that setthose numbers, we didn't," Otter said. "In fact our number in 94 was zero."Now wolves exceed 1,000 in Idaho alone and they have migrated as faraway as Colorado as well as to all of the states surrounding Idaho.Otter plans to hunt elk and deer in the Lime Creek drainage near hisPine cabin and around the Lemhi County hunting camp of his friend,Department of Administration director, Mike Gwartney."They've spotted a lot of wolves so I suspect that as we go headed outfor elk camp we'll make sure that everyone that wants one has a wolftag," Otter said.Otter said for many hunters, wolves will be respected as a trophy, whichis what the state designates them. That respect will grow over time."I think everybody respects them," Otter said. "You can still hate themand respect their cunning and their place in nature."I'm not real fond of rattlesnakes but I understand their place in thesystem."For the full interview read Thursday's Idaho Statesman.FoA Website <http://www.friendsofanimals.org/>FoA Causes<http://www.change.org/friendsofanimals>e-Archives <http://groups.google.com/group/friends-of-animals/topics>Spay/Neuter<http://www.friendsofanimals.org/programs/spay-neuter/index.html>Cookbooks & More<http://www.friendsofanimals.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=FOA>Make a Donation <http://www.friendsofanimals.org/donate/index.html>Contact Us <http://www.friendsofanimals.org/about/index.html>*Friends of Animals 777 Post Road Darien CT 06820203-656-1522

Wolf-control program challenged in Congress

AIRBORNE: Hunts allowed with airplanes only when it's a biological emergency.

By ERIKA BOLSTAD
ebolstad@adn.com



WASHINGTON -- Alaska's predator control program to kill wolves, which drew renewed national scrutiny during former Gov. Sarah Palin's bid for vice president, is under attack in Congress.


Two California Democrats have introduced legislation that would all but ban the practice of shooting wolves from airplanes to control their numbers. The legislation, introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. George Miller, would force Alaska game officials to declare a biological emergency that shows the imminent collapse of a species without the program.

Even if the state could demonstrate such an emergency, the law would limit aerial hunting to state or federal wildlife employees, barring private contractors that are currently allowed to kill wolves from fixed-wing airplanes.

"What this bill does is essentially makes it impossible for Alaska to manage wolf populations in any sort of responsible way," said Pat Valkenburg, deputy commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. "We finally have a program that works and to end it because of the emotional feelings of uninformed people is just not a good idea."

Alaska's Board of Game renewed its aerial predator-control effort seven years ago after complaints from hunters that a healthy wolf population was preventing moose and caribou populations from recovering in some areas, including parts of the state where subsistence hunters depend on game for food. Six areas of the state -- about 10 percent of the state -- have predator-control programs in place for wolves.
Full story:http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/wolves/story/893241.html

Wolves to the Rescue in Scotland

By Constance HoldenScience
NOW Daily News22 July 2009
No wolves have trod the Scottish Highlands for more than 250 years. Meanwhile, the local red deer, with no natural predators, have been grazing the hillsides bare, and there's been talk in Scotland about the possibility of bringing wolves back. Now a U.S.-Australian research team is arguing that wolves would be a good way to restore the ecology--not just by reducing the numbers of deer but also because they would significantly change deer behavior by creating a "landscape of fear."
Scientists headed by Adrian Manning of the Australian National University in Canberra have been studying the effects of the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park in the northwestern United States, which occurred in the 1990s. The purpose was "mostly to get the wolves back as native species," says William Ripple, a professor of forest ecosystems and society at Oregon State University in Corvallis. But there was an unforeseen bonus: Not only did the elk population go down, but there have been "major ecological effects," Ripple says. The elk now steer clear of areas where they perceive risk from wolves, leading to the regrowth of aspens, willows, cottonwood trees, and berry-producing shrubs. That in turn has supported the resurgence of beaver and bird populations.
Full story :http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/722/2?etoc

THE TRUTH ABOUT WWF

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Recent News
Thank you for your visit please find out more about the WWF and take action if you like... dont forget to tell your friends and invite them to discover the truth!
Millions of people have no idea about the WWF they think that they care about animals!!!!! Well they dont!

The WWF was the driving force in pressuring the U..S.. Congress to legislate the screening of chemicals for "endocrine (hormone) disrupting" effects and has subsequently been heavily involved in establishing the framework for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) massive chemical-testing program now under development. . As its Web site points out: "WWF invested substantial resources in the EPA's Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee," which "agreed upon a set of tests to form the foundation for the screening and testing program.." What the WWF neglects to mention, however, is that 10 of the 15 recommended screens and tests are animal-poisoning studies, some of which kill hundreds or thousands of animals at a time.. According to scientific estimates, the WWF-backed endocrine testing program will kill up to 1..2 million animals for every 1,000 chemicals tested, and with environmental organizations pressing for tens of thousands of chemicals to be retested under this program, the toll in animal suffering and death will be staggering.. The WWF is also pressuring government agencies in Europe to embark on a similar animal-testing program..

In addition to lobbying for more chemical testing, the WWF has teamed up with Procter & Gamble, S..C.. Johnson, and other chemical companies to create an institute to pursue "basic research" on endocrine disruptors.. On top of this, the WWF is now pushing the U..S.. Congress to pass a bill that would pour additional millions in public funds into endocrine research--much of which would likely be used to fund experiments on animals..

Unfortunately, the "endocrine disruptor" issue is not an isolated example.. The WWF has been a major force in pressuring the European Union to amend its Chemicals Policy to require companies to test and retest as many as 30,000 new and existing chemicals.. The British Institute for Environmental Health estimates that this process will kill upwards of 45 million animals if the standard battery of animal-poisoning tests is used.. The WWF's U..S.. and Canadian offices are also calling for more testing of pesticides, despite the fact that more than 9,000 animals are already killed for each pesticide product on the market.. The organization has called for certain pesticides to be tested for "developmental neurotoxicity" (DNT) using a test that kills upwards of 1,300 animals each time it is conducted.. This test has been heavily criticized by scientists, including the EPA's own Scientific Advisory Panel, which concluded that "the exposure of rat fetus/pups was not shown to be equivalent to human fetus/infant during equivalent stages of brain development" and that "the current form of the DNT guideline is not a sensitive indicator of toxicity to the offspring.." In other words, WWF is calling for thousands of animals to be killed in a test that scientists admit is not relevant to humans!

In its defense, the WWF says that "in the absence of effective, validated alternatives, WWF believes that limited animal testing is needed for the long-term protection of wildlife and people throughout the world.." However, there is nothing "limited" about the massive amount of animal testing that the WWF is endorsing.. Dr.. Joshua Lederberg, Nobel Laureate in Medicine, pointed out in 1981: "It is simply not possible with all the animals in the world to go through chemicals in the blind way we have at the present time, and reach credible conclusions about the hazards to human health.." Now more than 20 years later, millions of animals are still dying in agonizing chemical toxicity tests, and we are no closer to getting dangerous chemicals out of the environment. . In fact, despite killing hundreds of thousands of animals in painful chemical toxicity tests, the EPA has not banned a single toxic industrial chemical in more than a decade!...

The WWF Endorses the Killing of Wild Animals, Too!!!
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) gives special meaning to the word "conservation. ." The organization, founded in 1961 by a group of wealthy trophy hunters, apparently believes that conserving animals means keeping them around long enough for well-heeled "sportsmen" to blast them out of the woods, oceans, skies, plains of Africa, and jungles of Asia.. Past WWF chapter presidents include C..R.. "Pink" Gutermuth, who also served as president of the National Rifle Association, and trophy hunter Francis L.. Kellogg, who is legendary for his massive kills.. In its early days, the WWF even used fur auctions to raise funds...

Since then, the WWF has learned that most people are appalled by hunting and trapping, so today, the organization veils its true stance under phrases like "sustainable development, " arguing that killing is acceptable under some circumstances. . When answering difficult questions about its policy on hunting, trapping, and whaling, the WWF is careful never to state outright that it approves of all these activities.. But don't be fooled, the WWF's intentions are all too clear and deadly!!

Sealing
According to the Web site of the WWF's Canadian office, "WWF is not an animal welfare organization. . We support the hunting and consumption of wild animals provided the harvesting does not threaten the long-term survival of wildlife populations. . WWF has never opposed a sustainable seal hunt in northern or eastern Canada.." However, despite the WWF's portrayal of the situation, the Canadian seal hunt is anything but a "subsistence" hunt--it is the largest slaughter of marine mammals in the world.. Quotas established by the Canadian government have soared to an all-time high: 350,000 seals per year for the next three years.. Not since the mid-1800s, when unrestricted slaughter saw a million seals per year killed, has so much blood been shed on the ice off Canada's East Coast...
Worse is that the Canadian government has stated in internal documents that having the WWF's support for any raise in seal quotas is important, and the WWF's position statement suggests that it had been working with the Canadian government before the quota was announced.. In other words, the WWF had the power to help avert the largest quota of harp seal pups in history but chose, instead, to let it happen without so much as a word of opposition!! !

Whaling!!!
While the WWF states that it opposes "commercial whaling," it does support the slaughter of whales by native tribes and under some other conditions.. When asked directly about its policy, WWF is vague, stating: "WWF's views on whether sustainable whaling should be permitted derive from its mission 'to conserve nature and ecological processes and to help build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature..'" In the past, WWF officials have clearly stated that "WWF International has the national WWF organizations behind it in the view that as soon as one can ensure a sustainable commercial harvest of the great whales under secure international control, then whaling will no longer be a WWF concern...."

Sport Hunting!!!
As one would expect of an organization founded by hunters, the WWF does not oppose the slaughter of animals with guns and other weapons for sport.. Rather than working to stop the killing, the WWF believes that hunting should be regulated, arguing that wealthy trophy hunters can bring income to poorer nations.. The WWF claims that it has no power to stop hunting, stating, "The decision to allow trophy hunting is a sovereign one made entirely by the governments concerned. . We will continue to monitor governments' enforcement of important trade laws to ensure that trophy hunting is done within the legal standards of that area...."

Elephants!!!
The WWF believes that culling-another way of saying "killing"-elephants is acceptable, as is the trade in ivory, because the profits that it brings spur governments to keep elephants from going extinct.. In 2000, U..S.. News & World Report reported that WWF representatives traveled to Nairobi to ask the United Nations to lift the ban on the ivory trade in order to allow a "sustainable harvest of ivory for horns and hunting trophies..."

The WWF's bizarre view-that we must kill some animals now in order to save animals to kill later-has proved false time and again.. The trade in ivory has only encouraged rampant poaching, the senseless slaughter of elephants.. The WWF tries to duck the issue by falsely stating, "The decision to cull, or to select animals from the herd for removal or death, is indeed an agonizing choice, but it is one made entirely by the governments concerned and there is no international involvement in those decisions.."

Trapping!!!
As with hunting and whaling, the WWF refuses to condemn the massive killing of animals with steel-jaw leghold traps.. While calling itself a "preservationist" organization that "seek[s] to be the voice for those creatures who have no voice," the WWF stands back from the issue, stating that "the trade in furs, skins, and other products of animals that are not endangered isn't the focus of our campaign.."
But no matter how hard the WWF tries to "greenwash" its support of animal slaughter, its real message rings out loud and clear: Animals are ours to hunt, trap, kill, poison, and use as we see fit.. And although appeals to preserve genetic diversity, ecosystems, and the planet sound good on paper, they mean little if what the WWF is really advocating is more efficient killing fields...

Wolf Hunting!!!
Despite an ongoing international tourist boycott that was called in response to the wolf "control" program in Alaska, in which at least 100 wolves have been shot as of March 2004, the WWF is promoting several trips to Alaska throughout June, July, and August 2004 as part of "WWF Travel," an "ecotourism" program.. When asked why the WWF was sending its members to Alaska, effectively undermining efforts to save wolves in the state, the WWF travel desk representative stated that the WWF did not consider the matter of wolf-killing a priority..

WHAT YOU CAN DO?

Please write to the WWF and express your opposition to its involvement in the slaughter of millions of animals in laboratories. . Let the WWF know that you contribute only to organizations that oppose outdated animal-poisoning tests and that there is no such thing as conservation through killing..

..

James P Leape, Director General WWF-International
Ave du Mont-Blanc
1196 Gland
Switzerland
Fax: 41 22 364 5468
E-Mail: jleape@wwfint. org

Carter S Roberts, President and CEO WWF-US
1250 24th St NW
Washington, DC 20037
Fax: 202- 778-9637
E-Mail: patricia.. gvozdich@wwfus. . org

MJ Russill, President and CEO... WWF-Canada
245 Eglinton Ave E, Ste 410
Toronto, ON M4P 3J1
Fax: 416-489-3611. ..
E-Mail: mrussill@wwfcanada.org...

Elizabeth Salter Green, Head...
European Toxics Programme...
WWF-UK...
Panda House, Weyside Park
Godalming, Surrey GU7 1XR
Fax: 011 44 148 342 6409
E-Mail: esaltergreen@wwf.org.uk
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WOLF NEWS AROUND THE WORLD-JUNE 2009

Wolf News Around the World - June 2009
by Chris Kirby
Western Great Lakes

Two weeks after five wildlife protection groups filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to delist gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes; the USFWS reached a settlement agreement with the coalition. On June 29, 2009, the Service agrees with the coalition that sufficient opportunity for public review and comment as required by federal law was not provided prior to delisting the Western Great Lakes gray wolves. Upon acceptance of this agreement by the court, and while the Service gathers additional public comment, gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes area will again be protected under the Endangered Species Act. All restrictions and requirements in place under the Act prior to delisting will be reinstated. In Minnesota, gray wolves will be considered threatened; elsewhere in the region, gray wolves will be designated as endangered. U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman in Washington, D.C. must approve the settlement agreement for it to take effect.

Northern Rocky Mountains

The federal government is faced with another lawsuit over the recent removal of most gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains from the endangered species. The Bozeman-based Greater Yellowstone Coalition says in its lawsuit that the wolf's long-term survival remains at risk. This is the second case assigned to U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy who is also presiding over a similar lawsuit filed previously by 13 environmental and animal rights groups.

Southeast

In North Carolina, 41 red wolf pups born in the wild this spring gave biologists a big reason to celebrate. Eleven litters were found! The count represents a higher than average whelping rate for the 15 collared packs in the state's red wolf recovery program. The 21-year-old program covers 1.7 million acres in five counties and includes three National Wildlife Refuges: Alligator National Wildlife Refuge, Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge. Currently, only 100 to 120 red wolves live in the wild, 86 of them collared.

Southwest

Federal wildlife managers have decided to allow an endangered Mexican gray wolf linked to four livestock depredations to remain in the wild. Despite a rule allowing the agency to remove a wolf from the wild after 3 depredations in one year, the agency said removal of the wolf could be detrimental to any potential gains in the species' population in New Mexico and Arizona. The alpha male is raising four 8-week-old pups with the pack's alpha female known as the San Mateo pack. The program's Interagency Field Team has been requested to monitor the pack and try to prevent any further livestock depredations. Tactics may include establishing a food cache for the wolves - native prey placed in certain areas by wildlife managers to prevent the wolves from going after livestock.

Due to the recent deaths of M660 in captivity and six pups of the year from its mate F749, the Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery's Interagency Field Team has suspended the planned initial release of this pack of wolves this upcoming July. Another wolf pack at this location is planned for release during the summer of 2010. There are only about 50 Mexican gray wolves in the wild to date consisting of only two breeding pairs.

Idaho

Idaho's Phantom Hill Wolf Pack has lost its alpha male known as B333 and nicknamed "Papa." Laying in a roadside ditch after being hit by a vehicle, the 110-pound wolf was found dead on Sunday, June 14. Arriving two springs ago, Papa was one of the three founding members of the all-black, pack and the first pack confirmed to have established a den and given birth to pups in the Wood River Valley. He was trapped and collared by Wildlife Services in Summer 2007. The pack is survived by the alpha female, a three-year old named Judith, a two-year old named Shadow, six yearlings and this year's pups. Deep concern for the pack without its leader grows as time nears for three sheep bands (over 7500 sheep) are scheduled to be released for grazing onto Sawtooth National Forest public lands allotments right into the pack's home range. Hopes are that the Wood River Wolf Project team will continue to keep the wolves and sheep apart. Last summer, this effort was able to keep depredations down to a single sheep. Wolf killing has already started in the Sawtooth Valley of central Idaho this year and if the delisting is not reversed, hunting will begin in the fall. Idaho Department of Fish and Game retrieved Papa's carcass and it's expected there will be a necropsy, which should provide information about age and genealogy.

New York

The New York State Zoo at Thompson Park has 5 new wolf pups born May 4 to the zoo's pair of wolves. The pups mom and dad, a male timberwolf named Kenai and a female arctic wolf named Kaja, were acquired by the zoo in January from a wildlife rehabilatator in South Carolina.

North Carolina

A 7-year-old red wolf is back on display at the Museum of Life and Science after a cancerous growth was removed from her chest. The plum-sized tumor is associated with blood vessels known as a hemangiopericytoma. It tends not to spread but can recur and become hard to treat. The wolf recuperated well from the 90-minute operation, which is extremely more stressful for wild animals than for pets. She is the female of a top genetic pair at the museum participating in the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan, a program that is rebuilding the species from 14 animals taken from the wild thought to have been the last of their kind in the world.

Virginia

Busch Gardens Williamsburg introduced the two newest additions to its family. A pair of gray wolf pups are part of the park's wolf ambassador program to help guests understand and appreciate the important role of wolves, one of North America's few remaining large predators. You can see them at the Jack Hanna Wild Reserve Haven.

Washington

A remote camera set up by state wildlife biologists has captured what appears to be a lactating female wolf in the middle of Pend Oreille County. Fur samples were taken from bait areas to determine if Washington has its second documented pair of breeding wolves.

Wisconsin

A recent monthly meeting updated the Wisconsin DNR Board with information on the goals and outline for a new wolf management plan that is due in 2010. The Wolf Science Committee suggested that any Wisconsin harvest plan be considered from a regional viewpoint. Since 2000 growth rates have slowed to 10-12 percent annually. Adrian Wydeven, a DNR conservation biologist and wolf specialist, noted that to adequately protect the wolf population should a wolf harvest season be implemented, the science team felt an increase in the current management goal would have to be considered. "The agency's goal for recovery has been 350, but the DNR now believes that far more wolves can flourish on the landscape." A total of 162 wolf packs were detected in Wisconsin. A pack consisting of at least two adult wolves each. Biologists found 23 packs distributed across central Wisconsin and 139 packs in northern Wisconsin. Of 94 wolves found dead last year, 14 were killed illegally, according to the DNR.

"With large carnivores such as wolves, public attitudes are sometimes more critical to manage than the animals themselves," says Adrian Wydeven."

Wyoming

Wolves have not impacted elk populations. A count by state wildlife managers reveals elk numbers surpass goals. Wyoming elk numbers are at least 12.3 percent above Game and Fish objectives, likely more with uncounted animals, totaling 93,383 in the most recent census. The annual report, 2009 Big Game Hunting Season Recommendation Summary, says 18 of the 25 counted herds were above population objectives and seven of them at the objectives. None of the herds were below objectives, the report stated.

Finland

Gray wolves have expanded their range to include western and southern Finland. The area has not hosted breeding wolves for over 100 years. Concerns and public debate have been raised over wolf-livestock conflicts.

Germany

According to officials, a German hunter faces prosecution after shooting one of two wolves known to live in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. The wolf's four to six-week-old cubs were with the mother in the den at the time of the slaying. It remains to be seen, whether the female wolf can raise the cubs on her own. Should the investigation confirm that the hunter deliberately shot the wolf, the case would be handled according to federal nature conservation laws including up to a five year prison term and monetary fine. If proven it was a negligent shooting, the hunter still could be imprisoned up to six months. The approximately 50 free-roaming wolves in Germany dispersed from Poland in recent years are tightly guarded according to the country's conservation laws.




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MASSIVE SKI DEVELOPMENT THREATENS BC COMMUNITY,WILDLIFE ENVIRONMENT!TAKE ACTION NOW!

MASSIVE SKI DEVELOPMENT THREATENS BC COMMUNITY, WILDLIFE, ENVIRONMENT

Grizzly bears, wolverine, wolves, mountain goats, salmon at risk

A massive ski resort proposal near Squamish, British Columbia would threaten the quality of life for area residents, wildlife, and the environment. The planned development, Garibaldi at Squamish (GAS), could adversely impact an array of wildlife including grizzly bear, wolverine, mountain goat, and salmon and steelhead.

Until recently, Squamish had been a relatively sleepy town. But expansion of the Sea-to-Sky Highway that connects Vancouver to Squamish has ushered in unprecedented and unplanned development. Local residents have grown increasingly concerned about how urban sprawl is affecting wildlife. A recent spike in encounters with cougars has focused attention on the connection between sprawl and the displacement and change of behavior of the big cats and other large predators. Driving these species from their territory is a recipe for disaster for Squamish and wild animals.

The GAS plan, first submitted to the BC’s Environmental Assessment Office in 1997 and recently resurrected, would cover an area roughly half the size of Squamish. The development would include two golf courses, 25 ski lifts, 98 km of new roads, hotels, and nearly 6,000 new homes, apartments, and condominiums. The proposed development encompasses land that has been identified as prime habitat for endangered or at risk species such as peregrine falcon, wolverine, and marbled murrelet. The GAS area also includes a threatened grizzly bear population unit that has been designated for recovery by the province. The project has come under especially intense fire because of its potential impacts on Brohm River, one of the most productive salmon and steelhead streams in the province. The development calls for expansive water management, including sewage and storm water discharge, irrigation for golf courses and potable water, extractions of water for snowmaking, and as many as five dams.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
*Urge provincial and local officials to reject the Garibaldi at Squamish ski resort proposal. For your convenience, Big Wildlife has included a sample letter below. Email your letter to the following officials:

Environmental Assessment Office: eaoinfo@gov.bc.ca

Premier Gordon Campbell: premier@gov.bc.ca
West Vancouver - Garibaldi MLA - Joan McIntyre: joan.mcintyre.mla@leg.bc.ca
Local MP - John Weston: westoj@parl.gc.ca
NDP Leader - Carole James: carole@bc.ndp.ca
Green Party - Jane Sterk: info@greenparty.bc.ca
Conservative Party - Wilf Hanni: leader@conservativesbc.com

District of Squamish
Mayor Greg Gardner: ggardner@squamish.ca
Councillor Bryan Raiser: braiser@squamish.ca
Councillor Corinne Lonsdale: clonsdale@squamish.ca
Councillor Doug Race: drace@squamish.ca
Councillor Patricia Heintzman: pheintzman@squamish.ca
Councillor Paul Lalli: plalli@squamish.ca
Councillor Rob Kirkham: rkirkham@squamish.ca

SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear Public Official:

I urge you to reject the planned Garibaldi at Squamish (GAS) ski resort. The development, which would include two golf courses, 25 ski lifts, 98 km of new roads, hotels, and nearly 6,000 new homes, apartments, and condominiums, would erode the quality of life for area residents and adversely impact prime habitat for endangered and at risk species, such as peregrine falcon, wolverine, and marbled murrelet. The GAS area also includes a threatened grizzly bear population unit that has been designated for recovery by the province.

In addition, the GAS proposal would degrade Brohm River, one of the most productive salmon and steelhead streams in the province. The ski development calls for extensive water management, including sewage and storm water discharge, irrigation for golf courses and potable water, extractions of water for snowmaking, and as many as five dams.

Expansion of the Sea-to-Sky Highway has ushered in unprecedented and largely unplanned development. Local residents have grown increasingly concerned about how urban sprawl is affecting wildlife. A recent spike in encounters with cougars has focused attention on the connection between sprawl and the displacement and change of behavior of the big cats and other large predators. Driving these animals from their territory is a recipe for disaster for Squamish, wildlife, and the environment.

Again, I urge you to reject the GAS ski resort plan. Thank you.

Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
ADDRESS
PHONE
EMAIL

VICTORY FOR WOLVES IN THE GREAT LAKES!

We're starting this week with very good breaking news: This morning we won a tremendous victory saving wolves in the Great Lakes.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has signed a legal settlement putting wolves in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin back on the endangered species list.Without federal protection, the door was open to wolves being slaughtered at the hands of state agencies, livestock owners, and trophy hunters. The agreement is a strong positive step from an administration that has, so far, been disappointing in its treatment of endangered species in general and wolves in particular. In fact, we are still in court over the administration' s stripping of Endangered Species Act protection from northern Rockies wolves. More on that later.This victory has been a long time coming. In 2005 we won a court order striking down the Bush administration' s weakening of protections for Great Lakes wolves from "endangered" to "threatened. " In response, the administration removed all protection in 2007. We went back to court, and last year won a legal order striking Bush down again and restoring full protection. Then, to our dismay, the Obama administration bowed to the anti-wolf lobby, removing all protection again this April. We sued yet again, and today the administration agreed to reverse itself.Will the administration make another run at allowing Great Lake wolves to be killed? It's too early to tell, but we'll keep a close eye on them. I can only hope the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finally realized that we will fight them to the end to keep wolves from being slaughtered -- not only in the Great Lakes, but in the northern Rockies and the Southwest as well.We couldn't have done it without your help. Many, many thanks for the part you've played in keeping these wolves wild and safe.All my best, and have a great week,
Kierán SucklingExecutive DirectorCenter for Biological Diversity
P.S. If you'd like to make a gift to support our ongoing work to protect wolves, click here. Our team of scientists, advocates, and lawyers will put it to good use championing protection for these magnificent animals -- and winning more victories.

LAWSUIT LAST HOPE FOR LONG TERM WOLF RECOVERY IN NORTHERN ROCKIES

Suit filed as a last resort
WASHINGTON - June 2 - Today, Defenders of Wildlife and 12 otherconservation groups filed a lawsuit asking the courts to reverse theill-timed and unwarranted removal of Endangered Species Act protections forwolves in the Northern Rockies. The lawsuit is a last resort, and only comesafter exhausting all other reasonable options.
Regrettably, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar failed to fully consider bothscientific and legal inadequacies underlying the Bush administration¹sdelisting rule before adopting it on April 2, 2009. The Bush administrationdelisting rule adopted by Salazar essentially allows over two-thirds of theregion¹s wolves to be killed before the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wouldeven consider stepping back in and restoring protections.
The following is a statement by Suzanne Stone, Northern Rockiesrepresentative for Defenders of Wildlife:
³After working more than 20 years to restore wolves here, it¹s a thrill tosee the wolf population finally on the threshold of recovery with more than1600 wolves in the region. However, we cannot ignore that this delistingplan fails to protect their future and would allow states like Idaho, whichhas demanded that all wolves be removed Œby any means necessary,¹ todecimate the population to less than a few hundred wolves. We need adelisting plan that allows the wolf population to thrive while addressingthe needs and concerns of our regional residents. ³We had hoped to avoid the need for litigation, but Secretary Salazar¹sdecision to go forward with the Bush administration¹s delisting plan, whichallows states to reduce wolf numbers from 1650 (not including pups), to amere 450 region wide, left us no choice.
³We are going to court in order to ensure that wolves are fully recoveredand treated as key components of the Northern Rockies ecosystem ­ not astoken isolated subpopulations maintained at the most minimum levels innational parks and wilderness areas.
³We had expected at this point to be celebrating the recovery of the graywolf in the Northern Rockies. Instead, after decades of recovery efforts,tremendous support and investment from the American public, impressiveefforts by federal and state wildlife agencies, and one of the mostsuccessful wildlife restorations in history, the future of the gray wolf inthe Rocky Mountains is once again in jeopardy.
³We look forward to one day seeing wolves fully recovered and under statemanagement, but both the delisting plan and the state plans currently inplace are not adequate to ensure the long-term recovery of wolves.
³Sadly, rather than committing to ensuring the long-term recovery of wolves,Secretary Salazar, like his predecessor in the Bush administration, hasforced us again to the courts to reverse a delisting rule that puts us rightback where we started ­ with a wolf population that cannot survive withoutfederal protection.²
Learn more about Defenders' work to ensure the recovery of wolves in theNorthern Rockieshttp://www.defenders.org/programs_and_policy/in_the_courts/legal_docket/northern_rockies_gray_wolf-_delisting_challenge_2009.php
###Defenders of Wildlife is a national, nonprofit membership organizationdedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in theirnatural communities.

URGE OBAMA TO SAVE WOLVES-TAKE ACTION!

PLEASE JOIN ASHLEY JUDD IN HER FIGHT TO STOP THE SLAUGHTER OF OUR WOLVES IN ALASKA...VIEW THE FOLLOWING VIDEO:http://www.usmagazi ne.com/news/ ashley-judd- attacks-sarah- palin-for- killing-of- wolves

SO OTHERS CAN SEE THAT WOLVES NEED OUR PROTECTION NOW....BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE TO BRING THEM BACK FROM THESE BARBARIC AND BRUTAL MASSACRES!Please go to the following website to find out more on how to help save our majestic wolves from massacre:www.savewolves. org/act
PLEASE VIEW THESE YOU TUBE VIDEOS REGARDING THE PLIGHT OF OUR BELOVED WOLVES: http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=aVBdzjKfzCA&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube. com/watch? v=kh89q3tNqUA&NR=1http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=L2eiGzNkYhohttp://www.youtube. com/watch? v=pup1kLxVzIE&feature=channel

http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=Z8DMQOGSn- c&eurl=https%3A% 2F%2Fsecure. defenders. org%2Fsite% 2FDonation% 3FACTION% 3DSHOW_DONATION_ OPTIONS%26CAMPAI GN_ID%3D8041% 26autologin% 3Dtrue%26s_ einterest% 3DC3C4%26s_ Affiliate% 3Dsavewolves_ %26s_src% 3DWKY09WDWF% 26s_subsrc% 3DWKY09WDWF_ EKF09WD1% 26JServSessionId r010%3Dsrtxzn67v 6.app17a&feature=player_ embedded
-- “Our task must be to free ourselves... widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” by Albert Einstein"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."by Albert Einstein"Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace." by Albert Schweitzer"We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals. Remote from universal nature and living by complicated artifice, man in civilization surveys the creature through the glass of his knowledge and sees thereby a feather magnified and the whole image in distortion. We patronize them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate for having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein do we err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with the extension of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings: they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth." by Henry Beston
__._,_.___

SARA PALIN'S WAR ON WOLVES!

Please cross post and do all you can to expose this cruelty

I received this information that there are appalling new images of Governor Sarah Palin’s cruel war on wolves -- pictures Palin would never want seen on a postcard from Alaska:
Wolf carcasses skinned and stacked in piles in the woods;
Dead wolves riddled with buckshot and lying bloody in the snow;
Sarah Palin’s hired killers smiling and posing in front of an airplane loaded down with recently slaughtered wolves.
On June 6th, there will be a unique chance to reach more citizens and media about the Palin carnage. She is scheduled to be in Auburn, New York to celebrate 50 years of Alaska statehood and New Yorker William Seward’s 1867 purchase of Alaska -- a purchase then known as “Seward’s Folly.” The gruesome images described above are just the tip of the iceberg. After Palin's henchmen executed 14 poor pups last summer -- with a shot each to the head -- and more than 250 wolves were killed during the recently concluded 2008/2009 aerial gunning season, Palin's administration is resorting to even more extreme tactics to kill wolves. This summer, poison gas bombs will be thrown into dens and snares will be set at the mouths of dens to kill off newborn pups and to prevent wolf numbers from increasing.Extreme wolf-killing programs like these are already having a devastating effect on wolf populations. Wolf population estimates indicate that almost all of the wolves in the Upper Yukon/Tanana predator control region (near the Yukon Charlie Rivers National Wildlife Preserve) may have been killed over the winter, with 133 wolves killed by aerial gunning and another 80 expected to be trapped. Besides keeping the media heat on Palin, your compassionate work in making your feelings known both in Alaska and with our Legislature will build momentum for passage of federal legislation to end her aerial wolf-killing programs an effort that has already garnered more than 30 original co-sponsors for the Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act.

PLEASE DO ALL YOU CAN! THIS BRUTAL AND BARBARIC SLAUGHTER OF WOLVES CANNOT CONTINUE!

TROPHY HUNTERS TO PREY ON DELISTED WOLVES!TAKE ACTION NOW!

KINSHIP CIRCLE PRIMARY / PERMISSION TO CROSSPOSTQUICK WAY TO SEND COMMENTS!

http://www.kinshipc%20ircle.org/%20letter_library

Click on EMAIL THIS LETTER underneath recent sample letters in Kinship Circle’s Letter Library (above link). A ready-to-send message opens in the email software on your computer. Just sign and hit send. 5/19/09: Trophy Hunters To Prey On Delisted WolvesOn 1/14/09, an Interior Department rule under the Bush Administration removed gray wolves in the western Great Lakes and northern Rocky Mountains regions from the federal endangered species list. Then Obama froze and seemingly overturned this decision. In round 3, new Interior Secretary Ken Salazar once again stripped wolves of their protected status.Photo: National Geographic, Joel Sartore============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ==

FULL CONTACT INFORMATION. Sample letter follow

Honorable Ken Salazar, Secretary of the InteriorU.S. Department of the Interior1849 C Street, N.W.; Washington DC 20240

email: feedback@ios. doi.gov

exsec@ios.doi. gov

webteam@ios. doi.gov

Dr. Rowan W. Gould, Acting DirectorU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service1849 C Street, NW, Room 3256MailStop 3238 MIB; Washington, DC 20240-0001ph: 1-800-344-9453

email: Rowan_Gould@ fws.gov

contact@fws. gov

ALL EMAILS FROM ABOVE, to cut/paste in TO: or BCC: line of your

email:feedback@ios. doi.gov

exsec@ios.doi. gov

webteam@ios. doi.gov

Rowan_Gould@ fws.gov

contact@fws. gov

***KINSHIP CIRCLE CANNOT GUARANTEE ALL EMAILS WILL WORK*** During campaigns, recipients may change or disable their email addresses. Emails from government, corporate, or institute websites may be incorrect.============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ====

GET A FORMATTED LETTER (WORD DOC): info@kinshipcircle. org

Easily modify letter. Copy/paste it into an email or print letter to fax or mail. ============ Dear Secretary Salazar and Acting Director Gould:I applaud the Obama administration for reviewing many Bush-era rules that harm environment and wildlife. Unfortunately, science-based progress froze when Interior Secretary Ken Salazar okayed the removal of gray wolves from the Endangered Species list in the Northern Rockies and western Great Lakes.For more than 1,000 wolves between Greater Yellowstone and Glacier National Park, this means open season. In fact, Idaho Gov. C.L. Butch Otter told reporters his state is "really counting on a robust population of trophy animals" to gun down.With breeding season in full swing since April, pregnant females and pups are among those caught in the crossfire. Please don't relinquish wolf management to Montana, Idaho and parts of Washington, Oregon and Utah, along with Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.Wolves are key to thriving ecosystems. When the Bush/Cheney administration delisted them, a federal judge reinstated all safeguards. Once again, wildlife/environmen t groups are in court to challenge this ill-advised decision. We cannot stand by as the largest wolf slaughter in the lower 48 United States unfolds.Less than a year ago, 11 conservation groups argued (and won) that wolf populations had not rebounded. Wolf numbers still don't add up to biological recovery status. Yellowstone populations have dropped 27% in the last year. Moreover, delisting wolves does not consider their long-term survival.At the very least, I urge suspension of this reckless plan until it undergoes the type of scientific scrutiny the Obama administration advocates.Thank you,============ ========= ========= SOURCE OF INFORMATION / REFERENCE LINKS

Natural Resources Defense Council http://www.nrdconline.org/Gray Wolves To Be Removed From Endangered Species List http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/06/gray-wolves-to-be-removed_n_172589.html

Salazar Approves Removing Gray Wolves From Endangered Species List

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/03/06/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4849589.shtml

Interior Secretary Announces Wolf Delisting; Conservation Groups Will Challenge Removal of Essential Federal Protections

http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/wolf_delisting_announced_030609.html

We Can’t Work For Animals Without You!* DONATE SECURELY ONLINE: http://www.kinshipcircle.org/donation* DONATE BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER: Kinship Circle / 7380 Kingsbury Blvd. / St. Louis, MO 63130

PROTECT GRAY WOLVES-TAKE ACTION!

Tell the Interior Secretary to withdraw plans to strip wolves of their endangered species protection.
http://www.nrdconline.org/campaign/biogems_wolves_0309
Subject:
Dear Secretary Salazar,
(Edit Letter Below)I am dismayed that you are carrying out the Bush Administration's plan to take gray wolves off the endangered species list, leaving them vulnerable to mass killing. In so doing, you have abandoned President Obama's pledge to follow a science-based approach to environmental protection.
According to a letter signed by some 230 scientists, a severe reduction in current wolf numbers would dramatically increase the threat of extinction for a gray wolf population that is still recovering. If you hand wolf management back to the states, more than 500 wolves could be caught in the crossfire.
Wolves once thrived in much of the lower 48 states. Today, they reside in only five percent of their former range. If there is one place in this country where they should be allowed to flourish, it is in and around Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, and the remote Selway Bitterroot ecosystem in central Idaho.
I urge you to withdraw this Bush-era plan and submit it to rigorous scientific review. The wolves of the Northern Rockies are world-renowned as living icons of the American West. Please call off the guns and develop a sound wolf recovery plan that ensures a healthy future for these magnificent creatures.