Action Alert: Your letters to Congress needed today!
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has indicated they will move forward soon with a plan for delisting wolves across most of the United States. In March, the AZ Game and Fish Commission also voted to support the nationwide removal of protections for gray wolves.
This includes Mexican gray wolves outside the current recovery zone. Additional protected populations in the Grand Canyon and elsewhere are essential to the recovery of these critically endangered animals who remain at the brink of extinction in the wild. The FWS plan will not let that happen.
Still-recovering wolf populations across the U.S. will be left to be managed by states with often competing interests if Endangered Species Act protections are removed.
Our lands need wolves. But wolves need protection to recover.
Act now: Tell your member of Congress to use his/her influence to maintain protections for wolves currently protected under the Endangered Species Act!
You can find contact info for your Congressperson at this link: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
Letter Writing Tips & Talking Points
Below are a few suggestions for ensuring your message gets through clearly-your letter will be most effective if you focus on a few key points, so don't try to use all of these. If you need additional help or want someone to review your letter before you send it, email it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Talk about your personal connection to wolves and why the issue is important to you. If you're a grandmother wanting your grandchildren to have the opportunity to hear wolves in the wild, or a hunter who recognizes that wolves make game herds healthier, or a businessperson who knows that wolves have brought millions in ecotourism dollars to Yellowstone, say so.
At last count, just 75 Mexican gray wolves, including three breeding pairs, survived in the wild. These native wolves are critically endangered. New releases and additional populations of these wolves are desperately needed for them to thrive. Endangered species protections are critical to their survival. But the AZ Game and Fish Commission has consistently tried to undermine the wolves and will continue to do so if lobos become subject to state management.
Express your support of wolves and stress that the majority of Arizona residents support wolves and understand their importance. Polling done by Research and Polling, Inc. found 77 percent of Arizona respondents support the reintroduction of Mexican gray wolves. The poll also showed strong majority support for giving wolves greater protection under the Endangered Species Act.
Describe the ecological benefits of wolves to entire ecosystems and all wildlife. Wildlife biologists believe that Mexican wolves will improve the overall health of the Southwest and its rivers and streams – just as the return of gray wolves to Yellowstone has helped restore balance to its lands and waters. Science has repeatedly demonstrated that wolves are keystone carnivores who help to keep wildlife like elk and deer healthy and bring balance to the lands they inhabit.
Thank you for taking action today to save our lobos!
