Scientists to President Obama : DON'T END WOLF PROTECTIONS

Courtesy fineartamerica~dot~com

Scientists to Obama: Don’t End Wolf Protections

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Animal Connection

WASHINGTON— In two sharply worded letters sent to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell today, prominent scientists argued for continued protections for gray wolves across the lower 48 states and criticized a draft federal proposal to remove those protections for being premature and failing to follow the best available science. One of the letters came from the American Society of Mammalogists, the other from 16 prominent biologists.

“The science simply doesn’t support removal of protections for wolves,” said Dr. Brad Bergstrom with the American Society of Mammalogists. “Wolves are altogether absent or barely beginning to recover in large swathes of the country that still contain excellent habitat.”

Signatories to the letter include several scientists who conducted research that’s relied on by the government in its draft proposed rule. Those scientists are now criticizing the agency for misrepresenting their work, stating: “Collectively, we represent many of the scientists responsible for the research referenced in the draft rule,” and “We do not believe that the rule reflects the conclusions of our work or the best available science concerning the recovery of wolves.”

“No animal is more important to the North American landscape than gray wolves,” said Bergstrom. “The science shows that wolves are not yet recovered in the Pacific Northwest, California, the southern Rockies and the Northeast.”

As noted in the scientists’ letter, research conducted following the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park found that wolves “caused changes in elk numbers and behavior which then facilitated recovery of streamside vegetation, benefitting beavers, fish and songbirds.”

“In these two letters, scientists are simply asking the administration to acknowledge what the research clearly shows — that gray wolves are far from recovered,” said Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “There’s still time to reverse course and do what’s best for these beautiful animals and the landscape we all share.”

Earlier this month, leaders of six national environmental groups also sent Jewell a letter urging her to keep wolf protections in place and last week, Representative Raúl Grijalva sent a similar letter.

Learn more about gray wolves .

WOLF HUNT SUSPENDED!! GO MICHIGAN!!!

Wolf Hunt Suspended!
http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/news/story.aspx?id=901563#.UZ_tzZWOMUS



A petition opposing the 2013 Michigan wolf hunt has gained enough signatures to temporarily suspend the hunt


MARQUETTE -- The 2013 wolf hunt is officially suspended, but some say it is only temporary. A petition from the Keep Michigan Wolves Protected campaign has gained more than 255,000 signatures from Michigan, enough to fight and suspend the law declaring the wolf as a game species.

The Keep Michigan Wolves Protected petition signatures were validated Wednesday, meaning that Public Act 520 is suspended. They only needed about 161,000 signatures to succeed. Governor Rick Snyder signed the act in December declaring the wolf as a game species. The petition removes the wolf from the game species list, therefore, suspending the hunt until the public can vote on it in November 2014.

"I think the campaign, no matter what, is moving forward through public outreach and an educational campaign with the goal of obtaining votes in 2014 that would repeal Public Act 520," said Adam Robarge of Wild Land Guardians. Robarge led the search for signatures in the U.P. for the campaign.

It may not matter, however. Earlier in May, Governor Snyder signed Public Act 21, giving the Natural Resources Commission the power to add to the game species list, not just the state, and the petition is only good against the state legislature. The NRC has the authority to completely bypass the petition if they choose.

"The petition drive, while valid, is really not going to have an impact. We're far enough out from the established wolf hunt that the new legislation will kick in, and we will have a wolf hunt regardless of this petition drive," said Terry Minzey, U.P. Regional Wildlife Supervisor with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Minzey and the DNR support the limited wolf hunt.

"It helps us to, at least, attempt to address some of those chronic problems where we have dogs being attacked by wolves, we have wolves coming into town, and people are worried about the safety of their children, and we have livestock being killed," Minzey said.

In May, during the NRC's monthly meeting and prior to the validated petition, the NRC voted six to one to establish the wolf hunt under their new authority from Public Act 21. The May meeting was the first monthly meeting with the new authority.

On June 13 during the next monthly meeting for the NRC, they will receive information and discuss the issue on whether to rename the wolf as a game species. Then in the following July meeting they will vote yes or no, something Minzey expects to be a guaranteed vote in favor of renaming the wolf as a game species and restoring the wolf hunt based on their previous vote in May. Minzey describes the July vote to restore the hunt more as a formality and that ultimately the hunt will not be affected.

Many fighting the hunt are not discouraged.

"Certainly it's disappointing, but no matter the outcome, I think that what's happening now...remaining steadfast with the goals of the campaign is completely positive," Robarge said.

The Department of Natural Resources has more details on the wolf hunt.