Obama ended the protection of gray wolves

It's a sad day !!!

President Obama ended the protection of the Gray Wolves

More than 9,000 hunters in Idaho already have bought tags allowing them to kill a wolf.
(I am sure Sarah Palin is smiling big & bright at THIS)


I wonder what EXACTLY brought on this tragic event for the wolves. Was is hunters petitions? Was it cattle ranchers?
I personally KNOW some cattle ranchers in Idaho & Montana and they do NOT have a 'wolf problem' at all.

What a messed up backwards day for environmentalists, and animal lovers alike.







[edit on 5-9-2009 by theRiverGoddess]

Dang, 5,590 don't sound like a lot. Ok More than 5,500. Seems to me it wouldn't take long to wipe out thousands of them.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Friday the Obama administration will let stand a last-minute Bush administration decision that would remove the gray wolf from the list of threatened and endangered species.

The wolf will no longer be protected in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Utah, as well as in parts of Washington state. It will remain a protected species in Wyoming, though.

At a press conference Friday, Salazar called the wolf's recovery "one of the great success stories of the Endangered Species Act." First included on the protected list in 1974, there are now more than 5,500 gray wolves in the U.S.

www.greenchange.org...

[edit on 5-9-2009 by jam321]

[edit on 5-9-2009 by jam321]

That's sad news for you guys for sure

What is it with Americans and guns it's like if it moves lets kill it?

9000 people standing by to kill, gawd

Originally posted by theRiverGoddess
It's a sad day !!!

President Obama ended the protection of the Gray Wolves

More than 9,000 hunters in Idaho already have bought tags allowing them to kill a wolf.
(I am sure Sarah Palin is smiling big & bright at THIS)


I wonder what EXACTLY brought on this tragic event for the wolves. Was is hunters petitions? Was it cattle ranchers?
I personally KNOW some cattle ranchers in Idaho & Montana and they do NOT have a 'wolf problem' at all.

What a messed up backwards day for environmentalists, and animal lovers alike.

How sad.

I doubt that Obama himself even knows about this, just as I doubt that Bush did too. I can't see grey wolves and their unfortunate plight on their morning briefs. Bureaucracy is horrible and the grey wolves, in this instance, are the ones paying for it. Sad.

reply to post by lifecitizen


No, it's not like that at all. Yes, some Americans do sport hunt, and yes, some Americans do hunt to protect their property but I wouldn't say, by any means that Americans kill anything that moves. It's all in perspective. I bet I could find animals that are hunted in your country too. Unfortunately.

Obama DOES know about it. But it was the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that decided that the wolf numbers were high enough to allow some hunting and to return the decision to these few states. It's entirely in those states' hands how they wish to handle this.

It was the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service that removed the wolf from the FEDERAL list and allow these 6 or so states to make their own decision, as the wolf numbers have risen there, due to the success of the Endangered Species Act.

March 6, 2009
The Obama administration had ordered a review of the decision made by the Bush administration shortly before departing. Salazar said he had concluded that dropping the wolf from the list was justified by its strong comeback in the two regions, which together have a population of nearly 5,600 wolves.
...
Wolves elsewhere in the Lower 48 states remain on the endangered list.

Source

And the numbers are strictly regulated.

Idaho is allowed 220 wolves to be killed. Montana, 75. Source

“Clearly, wolves are restored in the Rocky Mountains,” said Ed Bangs, the wolf recovery coordinator for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in Helena, Mont. “They’re always going to be here, and nobody is talking about getting rid of all the wolves. That’s never going to happen. The population is doing great. There are not genetic problems. There are not connectivity problems.”

Mr. Bangs added, “But they’re starting to cause a lot of problems, and the question is what’s the best tool for the future management of wolves.”

He said the wolves had caused about $1 million in livestock losses and other damage.

I am ALL FOR the protection of our wildlife and I'm an animal welfare advocate, but this issue isn't as black and white as it might first appear. We messed up the balance by introducing artificial factors into the environment. It's up to us to restore the balance by artificial means. Over protection of a species can cause more problems than we can deal with.

At least we're not shooting them, unregulated, from helicopters.

I would have appreciated a link in the OP.

[edit on 5-9-2009 by Benevolent Heretic]

I can't help but notice the hypocrisy in this..

An endangered species becomes overpopulated, we kill it.

but we've been overpopulating for years and decades yet it's a crime to kill another.

But I agree, It's sad news but it's not like it's unwarranted. I'm just worried about whether some of the hunters will take it too far or not. Other than that, it seems necessary to create a balance.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


I totally agree with Benevolent Heretic. He has a deep understanding
of what the issues here really are. In a way it's great news because
this means that wolf populations in the wild are so successfully
established that their numbers are no longer in danger.

As BH stated they NEED to have their numbers reduced due to the
lack of natural controls on their populations. You might think it would
be wonderful to see wolves everywhere in the wild but there are
people who farm animals like cattle and sheep that need to protect
their interests and OUR FOOD. Wolves have become a major problem
for ranchers and are taking record numbers of calves and lambs.

Not only are livestock endangered by an excess wolf population but
the young of elk, deer, moose and other prey animals are also
being killed by wolves in record numbers. We must relieve the pressure
on them as well to insure their continuance as wild populations.

The Fish and Game department is one of the very best federal
agencies that we have - they don't act out of politcal agendas but on
the needs of the environment and those who live in close proximity
to it. out of neccesity they have to make what can be, like this issue,
very unpopular decisions. I support them fully and you should too,
there is so much more at stake including plant species that are an
integral part of the cycle of these herd animals.

I consider all life my brothers and sisters, not just mammals but all
plant and animal species. It is my belief that every life is sacred but
there is a hard reality here that must be dealt with and has been
quite well IMO.

I will take this as wonderful news that wolves are no longer endangered
in the US. Thank you Fish and Game department!! Through their hard
work we can see wolves in the wild once again.

In a way it's great news because
this means that wolf populations in the wild are so successfully
established that their numbers are no longer in danger.

This is true...it IS a good sign afterall. I guess I was thinking it just might have been some add on addendum to some other bill, and shoved through so a few hunters can have it the way they want.
I am recalling Sarah Palin shooting at the wolves from a friggen helicopter and laughing about it............and I just feel so put upon by the powers that be nowdays.

[edit on 5-9-2009 by theRiverGoddess]

reply to post by theRiverGoddess


I find it sad too. This will be nothing but "sport" hunting (i don;t see any sport in it). I suppose the bottom line is that we have so upset the natural balance of things that we have to intervene in cases like this. If feels wrong in my gut but I know how much work and expertise the Fish and Game department has. They do tremendous work and quite often get flack for unpopular decisions like this.

I certainly do understand your feelings, it hurts my heart too to see beautiful animals like wolves being killed.

Wolves tend to kill or take down wounded or diseased animals. They actually keep the animal populations healthy. I suspect this could create more problems down the road.

reply to post by cloakndagger


Pretty stupid considering I was just warned about chronic wasting disease spreading in Deer and Elk by a fellow ats member just the other day... and the Wolves I am guessing would help curb the spread...

Nice Obama

Maybe they should have told them it wasn't Grey wolves but Gay wolves that needed protecting then he would have made it a national effort to preserve these magnificent creatures

reply to post by Asktheanimals


I am against them killing the wolves. I don't think they are at a critical point. The ranchers around those same parts where most of the wolves are at have Bison. Those Bison are selectively slaughtered by the Ranchers should they be literally on the wrong land at a specific time.

One of the other poster's mentioned the culling of the weak herd animals; being the purpose of the wolves... I agree with this.

Also, I believe a more sinister reason is present. I believe the wolves just like bison, and grizzly(in Alaska) are being hunted down in numbers to ***weaken the spiritual energy of the Earth*** I think it ties into 2012, and a need to weaken the planet, and the People of the planet.

Just my two pesos.

S&F

reply to post by sanchoearlyjones


You know Sancho...

Some will react with skepticism to what you just said...

But not me

I wont stab guesses at what exactly the purpose cause entity or even if it's simply superstitious power mad men reacting to insane beliefs...

But it's not good enough for them for just Mankind to live in fear, by whatever belief system, they want Every creature living to have an aura of fear and dismay.

My thoughts first went to our ability to survive in the woods, from lyme disease now to prions in the deer and elk, now cutting out the wolves for a spread of the disease perhaps?

Makes it kind of hard to take that bow out and skip off in the event of bad situation doesn't it?

Now you say this, spiritual in nature as well... and I agree, it's some how nefarious no matter how you look at it.

reply to post by mopusvindictus


I full on believe We all Our connected..........scratch that, I know We are all connected. Most don't want to see it, but We are. The systematic destruction of the environment is totally geared at what I best could describe as an attempt to "retard" development on Earth. The animals in question, the grizzly, wolf, and bison are not all the critters that are being killed, but prominent spiritual, or perceived by many as powerful entities.

It does effect us. I full on believe everything connects to war against the Earth, and everything it encompasses, or in human terms a war against humanity.

Killing wolves for sport - because now there are enough of them to kill?
Are they hurting someone?
Is someone starving and having to kill them for dinner?
What the hell is wrong with us?

When I first came across this article I thought it read " GAY wolves" .... which made sense to me for some reason. They would probably have to be protected in the future.


.... If you've ever been on an extended wilderness Journey and had to wrestle a grey wolf for half of a squirrel carcass perhaps you wouldnt think so fondly of them.

Originally posted by sanchoearlyjones
reply to post by Asktheanimals

 

Also, I believe a more sinister reason is present. I believe the wolves just like bison, and grizzly(in Alaska) are being hunted down in numbers to ***weaken the spiritual energy of the Earth*** I think it ties into 2012, and a need to weaken the planet, and the People of the planet.

Just my two pesos.

S&F

Whoa...you been doing some serious thinking on this issue. Youre a damn genius Sancho.

I would like to believe that the Fish and Game service is acting correctly without undue stresses from political/industrial concerns.

Sadly, since Bush came into office many of the competent professionals were pushed out in favor of sycophant appointees. I know it happened in the EPA.

Many laws that protected various environmental concerns were either repealed, gutted or simply ignored and remained unenforced.

Living where you do you're in a good position to be informed on this issue. Your big heart for nature heightens your intuition and your ability to discriminate what's really going on.

Keep us posted on wildlife issues up there bro, these animal spirits are an important element in the psychic landscape.

The natives believed in "bad spirits", maybe I should too.

reply to post by theRiverGoddess


Isn't there something in revelations about animals going extinct before the apocalypse?

99.9 % of every species that has inhabited the earth has gone extinct.

Apart from the impact man has had, .... it is the natural way of things.

I wouldn't put too much thought behind it now.

They issued out 100,000 licences to kill 5,000 Wolves and their Pups.
We lost in this most heinous crime.

Evil does walk among us and it is the power of the controling elite which it whispers in the ear of.

My heart is broken and I know that Karma is going to be heavy when humanity repays the debt to our Planet.

We have been here for miliions of lives and evolution is our most beautiful asset, this is an attempt to tip natures balance for the almighty dollar.