Stop the Killing of Endangered Wolves in Washington

​worldanimalnews.com/breaking-conservation-groups-work-to-stop-the-killing-of-endangered-wolves-over-conflicts-with-livestock-in-washington/

Conservationists have petitioned the Washington Fish & Wildlife Services for rules limiting when the state can kill endangered wolves for conflict with livestock. These rules would hold the state accountable when conflicts with livestock resulted in the killing of wolves. The methods currently in place are ineffective and lean towards slaughter, ignoring science and the pleas of conservationists who are witnessing these beautiful, endangered animals being killed.

The rules being introduced would limit the state's ability to immediately kill wolves, instead looking for other non-lethal ways to manage them after conflicts with livestock. Of the 31 wolves killed by the state since 2012, 26 of them were killed after conflicts with the same livestock farm. In fact, it is reported that a new pack of wolves has already established itself in the area of this farm, putting them at an incredible risk of being killed. Pack after pack have been killed by the state for their interference with this particular farm and keep re-establishing themselves in the same area, indicating that slaughtering these packs one after another simply isn't working in managing the conflicts.

The livestock industry is heavily protected by the government which is why killing endangered animals is not viewed as seriously as it should be. The livestock industry generates billions of dollars and as we all know, money is the motivating factor in almost every situation, trumping right or wrong. When it comes to endangered animals, killing them should always be a last resort because we are talking about the possibility of extinction. Although wolves going extinct in the area would likely be celebrated by these livestock farms, there's no going back from extinction. If they continue to wipe out pack after pack of endangered wolves, they will undoubtedly go extinct.

Livestock conflicts occur often because these predators see livestock as easy targets. They are confined and unable to fend off attacks making them easy meals for a pack of hungry wolves. Unfortunately, their ease of access also puts these wolves lives in jeopardy simply for instinctually hunting as they are designed to do. Instead of looking for acceptable ways to prevent future attacks on livestock, the state would rather kill them in hopes of preventing future attacks. As the article suggests, the wolves keep coming back indicating that this strategy simply isn't working and instead, is putting wolves further and further at risk of going extinct. 

It's time to start holding these livestock farms accountable and forcing them to take additional measures in preventing these attacks. Why are we not identifying how the wolves are gaining access and working towards a solution to prevent these attacks? It seems pretty straightforward to me that one would look at how the wolves are gaining access and work towards disabling their ability to do so. Unfortunately, it's just too easy to kill them all which has proven unsuccessful. This method of killing everything instead of looking at reasonable solutions outside of slaughter is the reason conservationists are demanding a set of rules that would hold the state accountable.

We must stop pandering to the livestock industry. Innocent and endangered animals are being slaughtered to protect an industry that promotes animal abuse and destroys our environment. There is absolutely nothing worthwhile about the livestock industry aside from the revenue generated by them. Outside of that, there is absolutely no redeeming qualities which is why the government needs to start worrying about protecting animals from extinction. Without wolves, the natural balance of these ecosystems will be further disrupted leading to more issues including herbivorous animals overpopulating and overgrazing ultimately affecting the habitat of these animals. 

Start protecting wolves and stop protecting factory farms!

HAPPY VEG