We warned you it could happen soon — and it has.
–In a cruel parting shot before leaving office, the Bush Administration has stripped wolves in Idaho and Montana of their Endangered Species protection — leaving them at the mercy of two states that are gunning for them.
Hundreds of wolves are effectively on death row. As soon as the hunting seasons begin and “Open Fire” orders are issued, state officials and hunters will fan out through Greater Yellowstone and Central Idaho in search of an animal that should be on the Endangered Species list.
NRDC is racing to court to stop this slaughter before it can begin.
As you know, this is the second time that the Bush Administration has removed federal protections from wolves in the Northern Rockies.
Last spring, more than 110 wolves were brutally killed in as many days. The wolf-killing rampage only stopped after NRDC and 11 other conservation groups prevailed in federal court — thanks to your support!
We must win again — because the plight of wolves has never been more dire. Yellowstone’s wolf population has already declined, as wolf pups die of a yet-to-be-determined disease.
The bottom line is: Greater Yellowstone’s wolves urgently need and deserve federal protection.
And thanks to your steadfast support, they will have NRDC attorneys — America’s toughest wildlife advocates — fighting for them. I will be sure to share any new developments with you as this case progresses.
Thank you for caring so deeply about the plight of wolves — and standing with us in their defense.
Sincerely,
Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council
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