The Honorable Deb Haaland 
Secretary of the Interior 
1849 C Street NW 
Washington, DC 20240  

Dear Madame Secretary: 

We the undersigned write with urgency to request an immediate reinstatement of Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for gray wolves in the Northen Rockies and Great Lakes. With your existing authority as Interior Secretary, you have the power to make an emergency listing of wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains and Great Lakes, and that action is warranted given the extraordinary assault that the states are executing across the country.

The states of Idaho and Montana have enacted laws in recent weeks that unleash an assault on wolves and a dramatic reduction in their populations – with their land areas constituting the bulk of the U.S. range of the species in that region. In Idaho alone the recently passed law that takes effect July 1st allows for the killing of at least 90 percent of the current estimated wolf population of 1500 in the state by a range of inhumane means. This assault on wolves will leave only a remnant population.  Montana also seeks to kill at least 85 percent of its population through similarly barbaric methods including the use of neck snares. Time is of the essence if this species is to survive the upcoming onslaught.  

Wisconsin plans to kill at least another 130 wolves starting in November with the use of hounds and barbaric traps and snares. This is in addition to the 223 known wolves killed during the reckless February slaughter in the midst of their breeding season. 

The hostility exhibited toward this species by these states presents a clear and present danger to the survival of the gray wolf across the nation. The federal government has an obligation to act given these explicit plans to reduce wolf populations that previously warranted federal listing as endangered and threatened.    

Proponents of this slaughter claim that wolves are destroying elk herds and decimating livestock. Those claims have been shown to be false time and time again. In fact, both Idaho and Montana have elk numbers that far surpass their own agency population goals and those very same state populations have significantly increased since the reintroduction of wolves in the 1990's. The number of livestock allegedly killed by wolves is miniscule at best. In fact, during 2019 there were only 84 cases of wolf depredations on domestic animals in Idaho and 97 in Montana. Considering that there are an estimated 2 million cattle alone in Idaho and 2.5 million in Montana these losses to wolves are miniscule indeed.

Since the reintroduction of gray wolves into the Northern Rockies in the 1990's the ecological benefits of stabilizing the overpopulated elk herds near Yellowstone National Park has been nothing short of staggering. Vegetation and riparian areas have recovered from over browsing leading to improved habitat for numerous species including fish. This also does not take into account the love and respect that a vast majority of Americans have for this majestic species along with the millions of dollars brought into local areas from people all over the world just hoping to catch a glimpse of a wolf in their native habitat. 

Without delay, we urge you to invoke your powers and immediately relist the gray wolf under the protections afforded by the ESA.  
 

Sincerely,  

Paul Collins
Wisconsin State Director
Animal Wellness Action