December 2021 WHAT A YEAR 2021 began with vaccines and testing. We learned how to conduct meetings and conferences via zoom. Wearing masks became the new normal. Our thoughts are with our many supporters who faced tragedies this year, losing family members; losing homes to fires, floods, tornados, hurricanes and other weather events. 2021 was also the year of renewed advocacy for wolves. Delisting meant that wolves throughout most of the US lost their federal protections opening the door for aggressive assaults. Our Northern Rockies wolves are under attack with state regulations aimed to reduce their populations to minimal levels. 2021 saw us fighting back. We could not have done it without your support. May you pause this season to enjoy time with family and friends, reflect on our successes and then, get ready to roll up your sleeves and fight for wolves. We can't give up; We won't give up. NORTHERN ROCKIES WOLVES NEED YOU! Wolves in the Northern Rockies are being slaughtered. Already 125 wolves have been killed in Montana, including at least 15 Yellowstone wolves lured out of the Park with bait. Licensed persons in Montana can kill 10 wolves through hunting and another 10 through trapping. In Idaho, most zones are open to hunting, year round (a few zones exclude July), meaning pups at the den can be killed. The "management" goal for Idaho wolves is to reduce the population by 90%. Proponents claim the reduction is needed due to livestock conflicts. However, Idaho has 2.7 million cattle and about 210,000 sheep. Only 130 sheep/cattle were verified as killed (or probably) killed by wolves. In Wyoming, wolves can be killed by almost any method, at any time, without a license in 88% of the state. But we can fight back! HAVE YOU SUBMITTED YOUR COMMENTS? The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has the authority to provide emergency protections for wolves in the Northern Rockies. And, they have determined that petitions submitted indicated a listing action may be warranted. The USFWS will initiate a review and have opened a comment period. CLICK TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS Nearly 36,000 comments have been submitted but wolves need your voice. If you are stumped for what to say, you can CLICK FOR TALKING POINTS THE POWER OF A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Shortly after the first meeting of the Michigan Wolf Advisory Council, a front page article appeared in the Newberry News (Michigan) newspaper with the headline, “Fighting for a Wolf Hunt”. It contained many inaccuracies. In response, Wolfwatcher Director, Nancy Warren, responded with a letter to the Editor, criticizing the reporter for providing misinformation. Nancy was surprised by what happened next. She received a phone call from the Managing Editor of the newspaper. She explained how the article came to be and made an offer for Nancy to write a series of wolf articles. The first, titled "Understanding the Wolves in Your Woods”, was given front page coverage and addressed basic wolf biology. The second, published just prior to the Michigan firearm deer season, “What Good are Wolves?”, discussed the many ecological benefits of wolves. A third about predator/prey relationships has been submitted but not yet published. Along with educating the readership about wolves, Nancy has developed a relationship with the Managing Editor who has promised to verify wolf information prior to publication. The paper is only available online with a subscription but if you would like to read any of them or if you need help with writing a letter to the editor, contact [email protected] WOLFWATCHER IN THE NEWS In Michigan, the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) is a seven member board, appointed by the Governor with approval by the Michigan Senate. The NRC has the exclusive authority to regulate hunting seasons, designate game species and authorize the first hunting season for a species. As a board, they have rejected scientific data and made decisions that favor the hunting/trapping community. Wolfwatcher called for the resignation of NRC Commissioner, JR Richardson, following his appearance on a live call-in TV program telling a tale of a chained dog taken by a wolf in a rural Michigan town. Investigation by Wolfwatcher revealed the event never happened. Click to read the LOCAL COVERAGE the story received. Commissioner Richardson has served on this Commission through several administrations and has a history of unethical behavior. In 2013, as Chairman, he trashed 2000 public comments sent to him related to the wolf hunt. This past summer, we verified that he forwarded an anti-wolf flyer to a sportsmen’s club. We also called upon the Governor asking that she not reappoint him to the Commission when his term expires this month. We have not received a response yet from the Governor’s office, although at the December NRC meeting, Commissioner Richardson did say it may be his last meeting. GOOD NEWS CORNER You likely heard that just days before Wisconsin was to begin a wolf hunting and trapping season, a temporary injunction was issued halting the season. The judge ordered the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to issue zero licenses. We believe his decision saved the lives of 200 wolves. The court ordered the DNR to update regulations determine quotas and licenses and update its wolf management plan with new wolf population goals. We were concerned that the decision could be reversed on appeal or upon issuance of a final order. If that were to happen, a hunting/trapping season could still take place this season. Based on the court's scheduling, a final decision likely won't come until next spring, after the window to host a wolf hunt closes. Until then we will continue to hold our breath. POACHING While wolves were protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, federal prosecutions were rare; almost always, the case was deferred to the state. Under state management, penalties and fines for killing a wolf are dependent upon locally elected prosecutors and judges who have considerable discretion. Poaching is a serious issue affecting wolves. Non-profit groups, including Wolfwatcher, have pledged nearly $50,000 in rewards for information leading to an arrest or citation in the poisoning of eight Oregon wolves. Authorities have not disclosed the type of poison used (as to not encourage copycat poisonings). RELISTING UPDATE All the briefs have been filed; all the oral arguments have been heard. Now, we await the court's decision, which could come any day, as to whether or not federal protections will be reinstated for wolves in most of our country. This lawsuit seeks to overturn the delisting rule implemented under the Trump Administration and is separate from the petitions filed to reinstate protections for Northern Rockies wolves. The Northern Rockies wolves lost their protections through a rider to the budget bill in 2011. PHOTO CREDITS: TRISTIN ALDER; VOYAGEURS WOLF PROJECT; STEPHANIE PERRY THANK YOU! Without YOU, our loyal supporters, the National Wolfwatcher Coalition would not be where we are today, with over 800,000 followers. We are appreciative of your support throughout the past years and look forward to your continued support in the future! For the latest scientific information, please visit OUR WEBSITE and while there, you can shop at OUR STORE www.wolfwatcher.org [email protected] DONATE NOW ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ National Wolfwatcher Coalition | PO Box 161281 , Duluth, MN 55816-1281 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!