John,

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has stripped federal protection from nearly every wolf in the lower 48. While we challenge this disastrous move in court, the fate of wolves rests with the states.

States will decide where wolves can be shot, trapped and poisoned — so that's where we're ramping up our fight to protect them.

Please take a moment to tell governors with wolves in their states to do everything in their power to ensure the species' survival and recovery.

The decision to end federal wolf protection this week means that states will soon manage wolves — so governors play a critical role in the future of wolf families in places like California, Colorado, Utah, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington and the Dakotas.

The last thing these wolves need is a rush of state-sanctioned hunting and trapping seasons. That'll take us right back to the time when wolves were relentlessly killed and harassed — a time when pups weren't safe in their dens and packs were torn apart.

Don't let that happen. Wolves today occupy less than 10% of their historic habitat and still face ruthless persecution. Now that the federal government has pulled the plug on protection, states must step up and do what's right. Tell the governors you're counting on them to save wolves from shooting, trapping and poisoning.