Recently, Director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Phil Anderson issued a kill order on up to four members of the Huckleberry wolf pack. The kill order was issued because several sheep were killed after being placed directly in the middle of where wolves were caring for their young. Poorly implemented attempts were made to use basic non-lethal methods for avoiding conflict between wolves and these sheep but only after problems started. The state all too quickly resorted to killing the wolves.
Under the current kill order, up to a third of the pack could be shot.
Please take immediate action and email the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission to demand WDFW rescind the kill order on wolves in the Huckleberry pack!
Dear Chair Wecker,
I am writing today urging you to use your oversight responsibilities and direct Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Director Phil Anderson to rescind the kill order that he issued to remove up to four members of the Huckleberry pack.
Sheep never should have been placed in an area where basic wolf conflict-avoidance measures couldn't be effectively implemented.
While some belated attempts were made to use basic non-lethal methods for reducing conflict between wolves and sheep, they were poorly implemented. And now your agency has all too quickly resorted to killing more wolves!
Non-lethal techniques are effective when used correctly and given time to work, but the Huckleberry pack has not been given that opportunity! By authorizing the killing of more members of this pack, you are acting prematurely and damaging wolf recovery efforts in Washington.
Wolf recovery in the state is still in its infancy - at the end of 2013 only an estimated 52 wolves roamed the state. In 2012, the Wedge pack was killed in a highly controversial agency lethal control action over wolf-livestock conflicts. We don't want history to repeat itself.
I'm also calling on you to ensure that WDFW meets with non-lethal control experts to evaluate this situation, so it doesn't occur again. Furthermore, you should proactively help livestock producers identify non-lethal control methods by analyzing grazing locations and recommending grazing strategies to avoid additional livestock and wolf crisis situations.
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Sincerely,
[Your name]
