North Carolina: Don't Abandon Red Wolf Recovery
- by: Alicia Graef
- recipient: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Despite an agreement between state and federal wildlife officials to improve recovery efforts, the future for red wolves remains questionable in North Carolina – the only state where they exist.
State wildlife officials have just passed two resolutions calling on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to declare red wolves extinct in the wild and end its reintroduction program, in addition to calling on the agency to remove wolves from the Red Wolf Recovery Area that spans five counties in the state.
To add to the problems, while the Wildlife Resources Commission is considering listing red wolves as threatened in the state, it is also moving to allow daytime coyote hunting in the recovery area, which has raised concerns that more wolves will be killed as a result of mistaken identity because of their similar appearance.
The world almost lost red wolves once as a result of habitat loss and predator control programs, but they continue to exist on the brink. Please sign and share this petition asking state and federal wildlife officials not to abandon red wolf recovery.
As someone who is concerned with issues surrounding wolves and wildlife management, I was beyond disappointed to learn about moves made by state wildlife officials encouraging the end of red wolf recovery efforts in North Carolina.
Despite widespread public support for ensuring red wolves are returned to their rightful place on the landscape and a previous agreement between state and federal wildlife officials intended to improve recovery efforts, the Wildlife Resources Commission has moved forward with resolutions that would effectively shut down recovery efforts.
I sincerely hope you will instead move forward with the proposed rules to list red wolves as a threatened species in the state and end coyote hunting in the Red Wolf Recovery Area in order to ensure this species regains a solid foothold and keeps its rightful place on the landscape.
With a month to go, please keep sharing this petition with friends! The NC Wildlife Resources Commission will also hold a hearing in Raleigh to gather in-person comments next Tuesday, February 24, so if you're nearby, learn more here: http://bit.ly/RaleighHearing
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