Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

G_j

(40,366 posts)
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 12:09 PM Feb 2013

Wolves in the lower 48 states to be stripped of all Endangered Species Act protections. Urgent!

http://wolfwatcher.org/news/all-news/keep-wolves-protected-in-the-lower-48/

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is preparing to strip wolves across the lower 48 states of all Endangered Species Act protections! Wolves have only just begun to recover in large portions of the Pacific Northwest, California, southern Rocky Mountains and Northeast.

Retaining protections for wolves in the lower 48 will not impact the delisting decisions in the northern Rocky Mountains or western Great Lakes. However, it will retain protections for a small number of wolves in the West – wolves that have slowly been moving back into historically occupied areas like the southern Rocky Mountains and Northeast. These wolves may never recover if this plan is implemented.

Right now members of Congress are ready to step in. Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) are circulating a letter to the USFWS opposing the premature removal of wolf protections. U.S. Representative’s Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Jim Moran (D-VA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Sam Farr (D-CA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and David Cicilline (D-RI) have already signed on as co-signatories.

Letter, https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7xYnjjogLTJWHJsSDc5SHhNM0E/preview?pli=1

ACTION: Please call and write to your member of Congress to urge him or her to save wolves by signing onto Reps. DeFazio and Markey’s letter. Remind them that removing protections for lower 48 wolves is premature and will prevent their recovery in portions of their former historical range.
37 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Wolves in the lower 48 states to be stripped of all Endangered Species Act protections. Urgent! (Original Post) G_j Feb 2013 OP
k&r HappyMe Feb 2013 #1
Sickening Smilo Feb 2013 #2
Brilliant, right after they let hunters slaughter 2/3 of the wolves in the West joeybee12 Feb 2013 #3
knr backtoblue Feb 2013 #4
Terrible. I feel such a spiritual connection to wolves, perhaps my spirit animal. JaneyVee Feb 2013 #5
not having a star either, do you see the disgusting ad G_j Feb 2013 #11
Saw it! The asshat hoisting up armfuls up Arctic Wolf Pelts? countryjake Feb 2013 #31
Are wolves still endangered? intheflow Feb 2013 #6
Yes. truebrit71 Feb 2013 #7
The International Union for Conservation of Nature disagrees. Peter cotton Feb 2013 #9
And the Mexican Wolf? G_j Feb 2013 #12
I can certainly understand keeping this particular subspecies on the endangered list. Peter cotton Feb 2013 #18
"not threatened AT A GLOBAL LEVEL"....we are not talking globally though are we? truebrit71 Feb 2013 #14
Why should national borders be relevant in this case? Peter cotton Feb 2013 #19
Yes. Especially if it had formerly been much more widespread in the USA. truebrit71 Feb 2013 #23
The Mexican Grey is. intheflow Feb 2013 #21
Sorry but that is not accurate. There is no such thing as a "common" wolf in the lower 48 states. truebrit71 Feb 2013 #24
Okay, then, Nit Picker. intheflow Feb 2013 #32
DAMMIT!!! truebrit71 Feb 2013 #8
K & R n/t glinda Feb 2013 #10
This is just wrong, wrong, wrong life long demo Feb 2013 #13
To listen to some of the locals you would think it was werewolves. Spitfire of ATJ Feb 2013 #15
Happens every time... Nt G_j Feb 2013 #16
This makes me sick. Auntie Bush Feb 2013 #17
It's not over yet! G_j Feb 2013 #20
I've signed so many petitions to protect wolves. MoonRiver Feb 2013 #22
Contacted my representatives too Worried senior Feb 2013 #25
This will be the topic of my tomorrow's calls to "our" representation in D.C. Thanks for posting! nt patrice Feb 2013 #26
Thanks patrice! G_j Feb 2013 #29
Thanks for the compliment and same to you for all that you do for everyone! nt patrice Feb 2013 #30
Du rec. Nt xchrom Feb 2013 #27
Just e-mail Kirsten Sinema drmeow Feb 2013 #28
K&R and a 'please help' Tyrs WolfDaemon Feb 2013 #33
I told Alec in Kevin Yoder's office what a great environmental PR opportunity this is & asked patrice Feb 2013 #34
Excellent point G_j Feb 2013 #35
I know they can be dangerous, which is their rightful nature, so I hope it isn't over patrice Feb 2013 #36
kick Beringia Feb 2013 #37

countryjake

(8,554 posts)
31. Saw it! The asshat hoisting up armfuls up Arctic Wolf Pelts?
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 08:08 PM
Feb 2013

It was quite a while back before I renewed, and I can't remember which sort of thread I was reading at the time, but it made me furious.

It had that guys name down along the side of the pic...I sure wouldn't post his site link here, seeing those ads are bad enough. Promoting wolf kills makes DU suck!

intheflow

(28,460 posts)
6. Are wolves still endangered?
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 12:28 PM
Feb 2013

If not, they should be removed from the ESA.

To be clear: I don't favor wolf hunting at all, but the the ESA is a specific piece of legislation designed to protect species from becoming extinct. It is not a blanket act to save all animals under all circumstances. If the goal is to have wolf hunting abolished forever, a different piece of legislation has to be crafted and passed.

 

Peter cotton

(380 posts)
9. The International Union for Conservation of Nature disagrees.
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 12:37 PM
Feb 2013

As per the wikipedia article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_wolf

Hunting and trapping has reduced the species' range to about one third, though its still relatively widespread range and stable population means that the species is not threatened at a global level, and is therefore classified by the IUCN as Least Concern.



On the face of it, I don't see any reason to be concerned about this decision.

 

Peter cotton

(380 posts)
18. I can certainly understand keeping this particular subspecies on the endangered list.
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 02:51 PM
Feb 2013

The far more common gray...not so much.

 

truebrit71

(20,805 posts)
14. "not threatened AT A GLOBAL LEVEL"....we are not talking globally though are we?
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 01:38 PM
Feb 2013

I'm really not interested in what the French think about this issue...

 

Peter cotton

(380 posts)
19. Why should national borders be relevant in this case?
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 02:52 PM
Feb 2013

Suppose a species of lizard, common in Mexico, appeared in the United States for the first time. Would you propose declaring it an endangered species?

 

truebrit71

(20,805 posts)
23. Yes. Especially if it had formerly been much more widespread in the USA.
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 03:44 PM
Feb 2013

As is the case with the Gray Wolf...which got locally (i.e. in the USA) hunted damned near out of existence..

intheflow

(28,460 posts)
21. The Mexican Grey is.
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 03:28 PM
Feb 2013

As noted by G_j, elsewhere in this thread. As such, I would support their continuing on the ESA. But the more common grey wolf is not, so they should be removed and have other protections enacted to ensure their safety.

 

truebrit71

(20,805 posts)
24. Sorry but that is not accurate. There is no such thing as a "common" wolf in the lower 48 states.
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 03:45 PM
Feb 2013

That is why they were placed on the ESA in the first place.

intheflow

(28,460 posts)
32. Okay, then, Nit Picker.
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 09:07 PM
Feb 2013

Last edited Tue Feb 26, 2013, 01:29 AM - Edit history (1)

See Peter Cotton's post #9 to see that there is a common genus called simply 'grey wolf' that is not endangered in the lower 48. I never said it's scientific name was "common grey wolf."

life long demo

(1,113 posts)
13. This is just wrong, wrong, wrong
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 01:09 PM
Feb 2013

My member of Congress - before PA was recently redistricted, was Allyson Schwartz, fantastic lady, very responsive to environmental and wildlife issues. Now it's Mike Fitzpatrick, a complete waste of human space. I can honestly say I am no longer represented in Congress. Will look for any petitions on line.

Auntie Bush

(17,528 posts)
17. This makes me sick.
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 02:42 PM
Feb 2013

I was hoping they would be put back on the threatened list....but instead all wolves are taken off the list. Hunters must be loving it... but it's sickening to me! It's a sad day!

G_j

(40,366 posts)
20. It's not over yet!
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 03:17 PM
Feb 2013

From above:
ACTION: Please call and write to your member of Congress to urge him or her to save wolves by signing onto Reps. DeFazio and Markey’s letter. Remind them that removing protections for lower 48 wolves is premature and will prevent their recovery in portions of their former historical range.

MoonRiver

(36,926 posts)
22. I've signed so many petitions to protect wolves.
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 03:29 PM
Feb 2013

God damn ranchers want to wipe wolves out so the ranchers can continue to slaughter sheep and cattle with no interruptions.

Worried senior

(1,328 posts)
25. Contacted my representatives too
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 03:54 PM
Feb 2013

but they are repubs so they don't care. Get the same old form letter back stating how they are hurting the farmers and ranchers.

I too have signed so many petitions, you wonder if they really see them and if they do they don't appear to care.

patrice

(47,992 posts)
26. This will be the topic of my tomorrow's calls to "our" representation in D.C. Thanks for posting! nt
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 04:05 PM
Feb 2013

drmeow

(5,015 posts)
28. Just e-mail Kirsten Sinema
Mon Feb 25, 2013, 05:01 PM
Feb 2013

I am SO happy about Arizona's redistricting - possibly the only thing this state has done right - it freed me from the teabagging asswipe who was my rep and gave me the closest AZ has to a real liberal!

patrice

(47,992 posts)
34. I told Alec in Kevin Yoder's office what a great environmental PR opportunity this is & asked
Tue Feb 26, 2013, 04:02 PM
Feb 2013

him to get this letter in front of Representative Yoder.

patrice

(47,992 posts)
36. I know they can be dangerous, which is their rightful nature, so I hope it isn't over
Wed Feb 27, 2013, 03:21 PM
Feb 2013

romanticizing them to say that I think they are guardians of a certain fundamental type that we disrespect at great peril to ourselves and to others and it is Earth herself who makes that so, not us humans. The wolves are like canaries whom we have drug into our coal mines with us.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Wolves in the lower 48 st...