Like us, you are probably far beyond frustrated by the inaction of Biden's allegedly wolf-friendly Interior Secretary, Deb Haaland, while gray wolves are being quickly driven back to functional extinction in the Lower 48. All hope is not lost, but immediate action is needed on all our parts. And the reasons behind Haaland's paralysis merit attention. Please continue reading.

We hear from people on the inside that Haaland is hiding behind a profession of "not having enough information from scientists, tribes, and religious leaders." (This would be laughable were it not so tragic and false. She's been inundated with all of the above.) She's also hiding behind the illusion of having the luxury of waiting until the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) completes its 12-month Endangered Species Act (ESA) relisting review later in 2022.

But the REAL reason for Haaland's paralysis boils down to painfully harsh politics in our time of ever-increasing polarization. The two primary obstructors to protecting wolves from functional extinction are: Senator John Tester (D-Mont.) and Martha Williams, Biden's nominee for director of USFWS. As you may recall, Tester is the one who sold out wolves in 2011 with premature and scientifically unjustifiable delisting in order to placate his constituents. The Biden administration needs him in Congress to help pass legislation. In terms of USFWS, Williams does not have adequate scientific credentials to serve as director and is being placed there to placate wolf-killing states. She will continue to uphold their goal of "management via killing."

If hunters and trappers in the Northern Rocky Mountain states continue to have their way--the Tester and Williams way--by the time USFWS completes its review Yellowstone National Park wolves may be gone and state populations may be functionally extinct. Twenty Yellowstone wolves have already been killed and all are at risk. They know nothing of invisible park boundary lines, across which hunters lure them with bait from miles away and lie in wait to kill them. The body count in neighboring states has Montana and Idaho well on their way to killing 85-90 percent of their wolves, respectively. Wyoming is even further ahead in this department. Details on the escalating body count

It's not over. It's only over if we give up.

Wolves very much need you to rise up now and take one or all the actions listed below:

We want to again extend our heartfelt thanks to Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Oreg.). Last week Defazio expressed his increasing alarm to Interior Sec. Deb Haaland regarding her lack of action to provide wolves with emergency ESA protections. In DeFazio's official statement after their sorely disappointing phone call he said: 

"There is simply no reason for Secretary Haaland to continue a Trump-era policy that threatens the existence of a species... I am disappointed she has chosen to delay this vital action to stop the slaughter. It has taken decades to bring this species back from near extinction. Their survival depends on her immediate action. If the Administration fails to act now, we may not have another chance to save the gray wolf.” 

Read press release | news story 

We highly applaud DeFazio's persistence and courage. He has long been the undisputed champion for wolves in the U.S. Congress and we will greatly miss him when he retires later in 2022.

Please know that, whether you take one or all the the actions we suggest in this email, your are taking a stand for wolves and we appreciate your efforts immensely. We truly couldn't do our work without you and wolves would have no hope for a better future without your help.

Thank you!

For all that is wild and free,

Brooks Fahy

Executive Director

Predator Defense

- Dr. Paul C. Paquet, world-renowned large predator ecologist