Over the past five years, Alaska's aerial hunting program has claimed the lives of more than 800 hundred wolves. Despite strong scientific, ethical and public opposition to aerial hunting, Governor Sarah Palin has:
- Proposed paying a $150 bounty for the left foreleg of each dead wolf.
- Approved a $400,000 state-funded propaganda campaign to promote aerial hunting.
- Introduced legislation to make it even easier to use aircraft to hunt wolves and bears.
Governor Palin is an active promoter of Alaska's aerial hunting program whereby wolves are shot from the air or chased by airplanes to the point of exhaustion before the pilot lands the plane and a gunner shoots the animals point blank. The program also targets bears.
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Palin offered a $150 bounty for wolves to entice hunters to kill more wolves in certain parts of the state, with hunters having to present a wolf's foreleg to collect the bounty.
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She actively opposed a ballot measure campaign seeking to end the aerial hunting of wolves by private hunters and approved a $400,000 state-funded campaign aimed at swaying people's votes on the issue.
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She also introduced legislation to make it easier to kill wolves and bears and which would have also removed the aerial hunting initiative from the ballot and block the ability of citizens to vote on the issue.
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The Board of Game, which she appoints, has approved the killing of black bear sows with cubs as part of the program and expanded the aerial control programs.
Fill out the form below to send a message to Alaska Governor Sarah Palin urging her to end the states unfounded aerial hunting program immediately.Dear [Governor Sarah Palin],
As a supporter of animals and someone who cares about sound wildlife management, I strongly urge you to withdraw your support for the use of aircraft to hunt and kill Alaska's wolves and bears.
Alaska is well known for its amazing wildlife and stunning natural beauty. It is appalling that your office and others in the state government continue to sanction the brutal aerial hunting of the state's majestic wolves and bears in nearly 60,000 square miles of the state.
As I am sure you are aware, aerial hunting was outlawed by the federal government in 1972. Yet Alaska officials continue to skirt the law and permit aerial hunting, claiming that this terrible practice is necessary for wildlife management -- an assertion that is not supported by available data on wildlife population numbers.
This unwarranted program often leads to inhumane deaths, with hunters in low-flying aircraft shooting down wolves or chasing them to exhaustion, and landing and killing the animal at close range. In some cases, wounded wolves escape, only to experience a slow, painful death.
This program is an embarrassment to the State of Alaska, and it is past time that state officials put an end to this brutal and unnecessary program.
Thank you for considering my comments...
