John,
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is once again taking aim at wolves, brown bears, and black bears — this time in a misguided attempt to boost moose populations. Its latest plan, Proposal 75, would let the department shoot and kill up to 80% of these iconic animals from roaring helicopters right on the borders of Denali and Lake Clark national parks.
We’ve seen this horror play out before. In 2023 and 2024, the department used aerial gunning to kill hundreds of bears and wolves in southwest Alaska despite widespread objections from scientists and the public who value these ecologically important carnivores. If the proposal is adopted, it will expand these aerial massacres to the doorsteps of two crown jewels of the national park system. Besides being dangerous and cruel, mass slaughters of keystone predators are detrimental to the greater Denali and Lake Clark ecosystems. Tell Alaska to reject Proposal 75 and take bears and wolves out of the crosshairs. |
