Idaho recently passed a law that allows hunters, trappers, and paid contractors to eradicate 90 percent or more of the state’s wolf population.
This may seem irrelevant or unimportant to residents in New York facing their own problems, but when laws are passed without regard to science or fact, we should all be concerned.
As a community and a nation, we have a shared interest in protecting and preserving the environment and the many species that inhabit it for future generations to enjoy.
Passage of Idaho’s new law authorizes the killing of up to 1,350 of the state’s estimated 1,556 wolf population and allows individuals to purchase an unlimited number of wolf tags when the season is open. It also permits the killing of wolves in their dens, including pups, and allows hunters to set traps year-round on private lands. Additionally, this measure sanctions the use of night-vision equipment, aerial gunning, and hunting from vehicles.
Proponents of this horrific law argue that wolves kill livestock and negatively impact large game populations such as elk. However, the numbers and the facts don’t add up.
The U.S Department of Agriculture found that about 130 cattle and sheep were likely killed in Idaho by wolves between July 2019 and June 2020. Meanwhile, the state loses around 40,000 cattle every year to disease, inclement weather, and other non-predator causes. With over 2.5 million head of sheep and cattle in the state of Idaho, loss of livestock is minimal and doesn’t justify the wholesale slaughter of the state’s wolf population.
Since their reintroduction to the Yellowstone National Park in 1995, wolves have proven to make a positive ecological impact on their ecosystems. By eliminating sick and diseased animals, wolves keep large game populations at a healthy and manageable level. While these reintroduction efforts have been considered successful, wolves still inhabit under 20 percent of their historic range.
Wolves are native to the Adirondacks but were extirpated from New York State and much of the Northeast in the 19th century. While there have been discussions about reintroducing them into the Adirondack Park, it remains controversial and little progress has been made. Today, millions of tourists must travel to national parks in the western U.S. to see these fascinating animals and the other abundant wildlife that remains largely untouched there.
New Yorkers, and all Americans, are entitled to witness and enjoy wildlife across the United States. Unfortunately, Idaho’s government leaders have sided with special interest groups and approved this law that threatens one of our nation’s most iconic species.
Idaho’s wolf bill was made possible when former President Trump removed Endangered Species Act protections for the gray wolves near the end of his term. In response, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially removed the wolf from the endangered species list earlier this year.
In order to stop Idaho’s war on wolves, we must get them back on the Endangered Species list before this new law goes into effect on July 1. Please do your part by contacting Senate Majority Leader Schumer, President Biden, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and request they take immediate action to preserve this threatened species.
Thank you for your consideration,
