Two gray wolves at the Columbus Zoo (Andrew Kennett)
Defenders of Wildlife is now reporting that the famous Cottonwood Wolf Pack in Yellowstone National Park may be destroyed. All of the adult wolves in this pack have been killed, and without these adults, the pups are likely to die this winter.
The killing of these wolves comes as a direct result of the actions of Ken Salazar, named Secretary of the Interior by President Barack Obama. In March of 2009, Salazar, a Colorado rancher, signed off on the proposal to remove federal protections for wolves, a policy move held-over from the Bush administration that had run afoul not only of environmental groups, but of federal courts as well. Salazar ignored the reasoning of these groups and implemented this disastrous policy anyway.
Now we are seeing the result. The reintroduction of gray wolves to the continental United States was a miracle. The wanton slaughter of these animals had driven them from their wide-ranging habitats, and the wolf survived only in Canada and Alaska. The reintroduction of wolves, especially starting in Yellowstone Park, had been an amazing success story, and the wolves were coming back strong in many western states. All this has changed thanks to the rash, unnecessary, and anti-conservation action by the Obama administration.
Defenders of Wildlife is asking for your help to save the wolf. Please sign this letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to let him know that you disapprove of his action and to ask him to reinstate these much needed protections for one of America's great animals.
Comments
Signed! There's no reason to destroy these animals! I hope the cubs make it through the winter!
Phoenix This Day in History Examiner
Tucson Abusive Relationships Examiner
I'm going to sign it as soon as I leave this comment. Thank you so much for bringing this to the public's attention!
Signed!
Third culture kid examiner
Seattle stay-at-home mom examiner
I'll sign..I think Wolves are beautiful animals!
I have signed this and many like it. I live less than a mile from Yellowstone in rural SW Montana and hate the turn this story has taken.
This sounds like propaganda from DoW to get more money.
Susan,
Defenders does ask for donations after you sign the letter, but that is hardly the reason for this action. We nearly eradicated the wolf from the continental US once, and it took a lot of work to bring those animals back. Removing the federal protections for the wolves without first changing people's perceptions of these animals is only going to put us back on that track.
I live in fear of coyotes. There are two separate packs roaming around here on the peninsula - and it's really scary. I would be equally scared of wolves.
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