For the first time in history, Congress removed an animal from the Endangered Species List. Politicians de-listed the Northern Rockies Gray Wolf, ignoring scientists and bowing to special interests that claimed these creatures were “bad for business.”
Since then, countless wolves have been hunted down and killed in Idaho and Montana. And Wyoming declared open season on wolves in 90% of the state, and hundreds of wolves – including pups – have been shot on sight.
Wolves are an essential part of the American wildscape. They regulate prey populations and help maintain biodiversity. Sport hunting and trapping may actually exacerbate problems between domestic animals and wolves. Sport killings disrupt pack dynamics and create lone wolves that are more apt to target livestock.