Solve the conflict between wolves and ranchers- In Memory of the Wedge Pack Wolves
- by: Erika Becerra
- recipient: Congress, Washington State Government, Washington Governor- Chris Gregoire, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Stevens County Government, Phil Anderson- Director of Washington's Department of Fish & Wildlife, President Obama
The historic range of the Gray Wolf covered two-thirds of the country. Settlers moving westward depleted their prey and took over its habitat in the 19th Century. The government and settlers killed thousands of wolves by trapping them, shooting them, digging them from dens, hunting them with dogs, and poisoning them with animal carcasses taking them to the point of extinction. Today, they are making a successful comeback in some of their former habitat due to strong conservation efforts, but the war has not ended.
The latest victims are the members of the pack known as the Wedge Pack in Washington State. The Alpha Male was shot to death along with another member of its pack, maybe the Alpha Female, on September 28, 2012, by a Washington Fish and Wildlife Department gunner from a helicopter thus completing the annihilation of a family of wolves after cruelly chasing them from the air using the signal of a GPS collar previously attached to the Alpha Male as a guide. The crime of these wolves was that they were too smart; they ate cattle brought to their habitat. According to public reports, they ate seven cows from a local ranch. The department director, Phil Anderson, declared that it was necessary to kill the pack to create an opportunity for other wolves that do not prey on livestock. The Wedge Pack wolves were not accustomed to prey on livestock. A human brought it to them and they learned that catching the slow prey was easier. How long will it take for other packs to learn the same thing? How many wolves are going to be killed by the government?
Ranchers are allowed to graze their livestock on government land for free or for a minimal charge throughout the country plus they are compensated by the government for livestock hunted by wolves. Many times the land is near or in important wolf habitat. Wolves choose slow moving, domesticated prey over their wild prey to conserve energy. It is their survival instinct. It is not that they are evil or a pest. Wolves play a vital role in the health and proper function of ecosystems. The food chain is fragile and every link is needed for life to survive on this planet. Nature has its limits. How much longer can humanity kill other living beings without destroying itself?
Please watch this video.
in Memory of th Wedge Pach Wolves- The Impossible Dream
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClX4tbp5ajw
<Congress of the United States of America,
Gray Wolves are canines similar in general appearance and proportions to a German shepherd dog. A Gray Wolf's coat ranges from mottled gray, red, brown, or black to nearly pure white color. Its lifespan in the wild is between 8-13 years and up to 15 years in captivity, similar to cats and dogs. It is a social animal, travelling in nuclear families consisting of a mated Alpha pair accompanied by their adult offspring. The pack communicates through body language, scent marking, barking, growling, and howling. The Gray Wolf is a top-level predator throughout its range with only humans posing a threat to it. Its range includes tundra, woodlands, forests, grasslands and deserts. It feeds primarily on animals such as elk, deer, moose and smaller animals such as beavers and rabbits though it will also eat livestock, carrion, and garbage. Consequently, humans have declared war on them throughout history including in the United States of America.
The historic range of the Gray Wolf covered two-thirds of the country. Settlers moving westward depleted their prey and took over its habitat in the 19th Century. The government and settlers killed thousands of wolves by trapping them, shooting them, digging them from dens, hunting them with dogs, and poisoning them with animal carcasses taking them to the point of extinction. Today, they are making a successful comeback in some of their former habitat due to strong conservation efforts, but the war has not ended.
The latest victims are the members of the pack known as the Wedge Pack in Washington State. The Alpha Male was shot to death along with another member of its pack, maybe the Alpha Female, on September 28, 2012, by a Washington Fish and Wildlife Department gunner from a helicopter thus completing the annihilation of a family of wolves after cruelly chasing them from the air using the signal of a GPS collar previously attached to the Alpha Male as a guide. The crime of these wolves was that they were too smart; they ate cattle brought to their habitat. According to public reports, they ate seven cows from a local ranch. The department director, Phil Anderson, declared that it was necessary to kill the pack to create an opportunity for other wolves that do not prey on livestock. The Wedge Pack wolves were not accustomed to prey on livestock. A human brought it to them and they learned that catching the slow prey was easier. How long will it take for other packs to learn the same thing? How many wolves are going to be killed by the government?
Ranchers are allowed to graze their livestock on government land for free or for a minimal charge throughout the country plus they are compensated by the government for livestock hunted by wolves. Many times the land is near or in important wolf habitat. Wolves choose slow moving, domesticated prey over their wild prey to conserve energy. It is their survival instinct. It is not that they are evil or a pest. Wolves play a vital role in the health and proper function of ecosystems. The food chain is fragile and every link is needed for life to survive on this planet. Nature has its limits. How much longer can humanity kill other living beings without destroying itself?
Congress of the United States of America, Senate and House of Representatives, we demand an end to these senseless killings as citizens of this country, your constituents, and human beings who are tired of the crimes against innocent creatures that pay for the actions of humans. You must analyze the conflict between ranchers and wolves. A conflict created by you throughout the years. You must find a solution before these magnificent creatures are taken to the point of extinction once again in this country, a country that values life.
By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.
Having problems signing this? Let us know.