Worst Case for Wolves--And How You May Be Playing a Part

categories: Endangered Species, Hunting, Wildlife/FreeLiving Animals

Published May 04, 2009 @ 12:24PM PT

The piece that struck me the most was one in which the US Fish and Wildlife Service accuses NRDC of lying about the possible consequences of delisting wolves in the region. To be fair, the Service's wolf recovery coordinator, Ed Bangs, didn't actually use the word "lying" to describe our claims - I believe his words were "flat out spinning a bunch of horse pucky," but you get the point.

You see, there are currently somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,600 wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains. The US Fish and Wildlife Service will tell you that upon delisting the states have committed to maintaining around a thousand of those wolves (a number, by the way, that we believe is inadequate to ensure longterm survival). We, on the other hand, would tell you that rather than being protected by the state plans those same thousand wolves are actually in danger of being exterminated. Now read on.

Yes, read on. But while we're expressing our outrage at the citizens itching to pull the triggers and the politicians who are allowing it, let's not forget, friends--why is everyone so eager to shoot and kill wolves? For the benefit of ranchers--and by extension, the benefit of those who eat and wear animals and what comes from them. The killing of wildlife, the further endangerment of endangered species, the destruction and pollution of habitat, the eating and wearing of animals (from the flesh of a cow to the wool of a sheep): it is all connected.

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Comments (6)

It's inhuman.

Posted by Lynn Vandewalle on 05/08/2009 @ 04:42AM PT
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And the result of this will be all the moronic hunters jumping on the bandwagon and declaring that they must hunt the deer so that the poor creatures won't die from diseases brought on by overpopulation and so they (the hunters) are only looking after the environment, something that we AR people never do!!!! Yeah, right!

Posted by Debby McCabe on 05/26/2009 @ 03:35AM PT
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My dear...... Horrible

Posted by Susana Carinhas on 06/25/2009 @ 04:51AM PT
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Yes, it's all interconnected, and it's why it ALL has to stop. Factory farms are our planet's worst nightmare when it comes to water and air pollution, never mind the nightmare for each sentient being trapped inside. It seems everywhere I turn we are decimating beautiful wild animals who live on OUR land paid for with OUR tax dollars and who should be treated the way WE want them to be. But instead, thanks to the bottomless pit of greed of the cattle and sheep industries, THEY want the land for the THEIR animals so THEY can make money. As we speak, a tiny herd of wild horses is being brutally run for miles and miles into holding pens (IF they make it that far, and with a one-week old foal in the mix and several aging horses, it's doubtful) because the BLM believes they are eating too much of the grass they think the cattle should have. What about what WE want?? The ones who PAID for the land?? What about these wolves who have done nothing wrong, because it's humans who have encroached on THEIR territory? As always the answer is kill baby kill. If we simply let nature do what nature does best, the balance might stand a chance of recovery, but the greedy will never allow that. Wolves mate for life. Can you imagine the anguish when one mate is gunned down? When the pups have no way to survive the harsh winter because their mother became some trophy for some greedy, clueless halfwit who made himself feel like a "big man" when he gunned her down? This needs to end.

Posted by Bonnie Snider on 09/07/2009 @ 01:53PM PT
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That is why there is an ever growing enlightenment, people are becoming Vegans for those very reasons. We can not continue to support the cattle industry when they are forcing the wild mustangs into slaughter houses because they want their grazing land. Which by the way belongs to the People of the United States not the ranchers. The BLM is rounding up wild mustangs so they can lease their land to cattle ranchers. Now they want to kill the wolves because they threaten the cattle but there are programs in place to reimburse the ranchers for any stock that wolves take. With that problem solved they cook up another excuse. They are taking too many deer or elk or whatever so there was not sufficient left for the poor hunters to kill.

Must we pander to the primal urges of the few?

Posted by Dianne Flynn on 09/07/2009 @ 04:24PM PT
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When it comes to killing our furry friends,

Is devastating and unjustified cruelty! Only Individuals that feel no guilt no remorse and certainly no compassion could do something as horrific as this! Is this about control, money, sport or ALL? I ask that President Obama stand up and put the right foot forward to support our wild life’s survival.

For those who kill our great wolves, it would not be so forgiving if the paws were on the other foot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We need the survival of all our wildlife, land and sea. Just because they can't voice their opinion to where humans can understand does not mean they don't have feelings and rights!!!!!!!

Posted by Nan Bongiovanni on 09/11/2009 @ 04:06AM PT
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Stephanie is an independent animal rights advocate, a vegan, a tree-hugging environmentalist, and a freelance editor and writer. She lives in St. Louis with an aging corgi-lab and an adolescent rescued pit bull.