Wolf hunt goes too far
mood: 
sad
sadMaureenlycaon sums this up better than I can right now.
Wolves are a very emotional subject for me. When I first read about the hunt, I freaked the heck out. Then I read a very coherent and thoughtful comment about why this might be a good thing: the more wolves come into contact with humans and domesticated animals, the greater the chance for disaster (not least of which, I observed, is the chance for dog/wolf hybrids that are not afraid of humans and which might be carriers of rabies). At the time, I thought it was a smaller, controlled hunt under discussion.
But 70,000 permits?? To kill 300 animals across 2 states??? And I'll tell you, if you click on the link in Maureen's post about the first wolf killed in this slaughter, the cowboy-machismo of the killer will make you sick. These people aren't about keeping wild and domestic separate by force, they're about trophies and scoring the kill before their buddies.
It's enough to make me puke.
The Defenders of Wildlife have a special page set up to educate about this heinous situation and other threats to America's gray wolf populations. They have a form letter you can customize, to send to President Obama urging immediate action to place the wolves back on the endangered list.
I have now written to two U.S. presidents - Carter and Obama. Both times, it was about the wolves. I really hope things get fixed and stay fixed for this beautiful animal.
Please, step up and speak up. This is urgent.
124,298 of 150,000
Thank you for posting this and bringing this up.
While one might wonder why someone in New Zealand cares about the fate of wolves in America, I would urge you to consider the huge number of animal species that have already been made extinct due to the direct actions of humankind. The diversity of life on Earth is something that is completely unique to us - science has yet to prove even single-celled life on other planets, and yet we are home to millions of fascinating creatures from the lowliest ant to awe-inspiring whales. The success of zoos and wildlife parks featuring animals from other regions proves the interest people have in animals of all kinds.
When there are only 1000 wolves across two states, authorising further hunts is utterly appalling, particularly as I understand 70,000 permits are to be issued for a quota of 300 wolves. That is more than 200 to 1, and the vast majority of these 70,000 permit holders do NOT have the balance of the eco-system in mind. To them a hunt is for sport.
The US federal government has spent millions of dollars on bringing these wolves back from the brink of extinction. Even the most callous, animal-hating person must see the complete waste of resources it would be to remove protection from the wolves and risk losing them for good after so much effort has been put in to saving them.
My country has several species that one can only see skeletons or artist's depictions of due to humanity driving them into extinction. Please do not let the wolves join this group for future American children.
70,000 permits, however there is no way all 70,000 will find or see let alone kill a wolf (just ask all the idiots here in Florida who have 'gator permits).
Plus there is also the chance that some of the permits will go to idiots who just want to have the permit, or some who want to keep the permit out of the hunters hands.
And while there are many "manly men" who will go out just to shoot defenseless animals, there are also many women who will do the same thing. You will always find people like this, a few months ago there was a story on this guy who killed a pregnant shark and then couldn't understand why people were so pissed at him as he was doing the right thing.
But on the other hand, I don't get hunting anything you can't or don't eat. Nope not even paper targets. Just the way my daddy raised me.