The premature decision to strip gray wolves of their federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections in 2020 was nothing less than a betrayal of wildlife and of the advocates who have spent decades helping bring wolves back from the brink of extinction.
We still have a chance to undo that damage: We must restore those protections and save these wolves from increasing attacks in states across the nation.
Watch as Defenders of Wildlife explains exactly what is happening and what you can do about it. To take action for gray wolves, visit: https://dfnd.us/3ad03Dm
Video Transcript:
Wolves bring balance to our natural environment.
As top predators, they contribute to the health of the other species around them—even other top predators like bears.
Wolves regulate the health of prey populations by removing the old, weak and sick. They keep the large herds moving, allowing other animals a chance to eat and plants a chance to regrow, increasing diversity of vegetation and other species.
Before being placed under protection of the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1978, gray wolves were wiped out throughout most of across the lower 48-states by humans who wanted them gone. As wolves have begun to rebound, we continue to learn how important they are for the environment.
For most of the past 40 years gray wolves were protected.
Unfortunately, some politicians don’t see the big picture. In 2020, federal protections were removed too soon. And it’s happening at the state level too. Many states where wolves do the most good for the ecosystem are promoting wolf killing to unsustainably drive down their numbers. In 2021, the Idaho legislature and governor passed and signed a law that could result in a loss of 90% of wolves in their state.
Wolves don’t read maps or understand boundaries. They don’t know anything about politics.
It’s in their nature to roam vast stretches of land, bringing balance to the ecosystem. But now they are vulnerable once again.
From the Great Lakes to the Cascades to the Sierra Nevada, let’s ensure our wildlands are healthy. Protect the wolves. Tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to relist the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act.
Learn more about how you can help protect wolves and other wildlife at www.defenders.org
