US Department of Justice, Hunting Groups Appeal Gray Wolf Protections

​worldanimalnews.com/breaking-disheartening-news-as-u-s-department-of-justice-appeals-restoration-of-gray-wolf-protections-in-most-of-the-lower-48-states/

The United States Department of Justice, along with pro-hunting groups Safari Club International & the National Rifle Association, have filed an appeal after a federal judge reinstated gray wolf protections in most of the lower 48 states. The decision to reinstate gray wolf protections was decided after a federal judge determined that removal of their protected status was premature. 

Wolves have been under relentless attack by the US Government, starting with when former President Trump callously removed their Endangered Species protections on his way out of office. With their removal, some US States saw up to 90% of their wolves eradicated through poaching / sport hunting which prompted advocacy / conservation groups to protest over the removal of gray wolf protections. Without these protections, hunters eagerly await their opportunity to shoot and kill wolves despite their importance in maintaining a healthy ecosystem.

When a species lands on the Endangered Species List, funds, efforts, and time are allocated to protecting said species. In the case of gray wolves, they were protected for almost 45 years and within mere months, were hunted to nearly 0 individuals in some US states. In only a few months, 45 years of efforts, money, and time spent were effectively undone. This salacious desire to hunt completely trumps any logic or moral compass in favour of self service. Knowing the perils gray wolves have endured to their survival, how could anyone be eagerly awaiting an opportunity to kill one outside of a sickening sense of entitlement?

What could you possibly be advocating for when appealing the protection of an endangered species? When you look at the root of their appeal, it's quite obvious that their only intentions are to be able to hunt wolves. Knowing the species has been on the brink of extinction multiple times, they want to hunt and kill them. Knowing that wolves spent 45 years being protected, they want to hunt them. Knowing that the possibility of extinction looms over gray wolves, they want to hunt them. This is what they're advocating for; there's no sense, logic, or empathy involved here, only a sense of entitlement. When you're on the same side as the National Rifle Association, you're on the wrong side of whatever the argument is.

Gray wolves will go extinct without protections. As this story proves, there are too many losers with guns just waiting for their opportunity to kill wolves. If we delist, rest assured that gray wolves will plunge towards extinction once again and inevitably end up back on the Endangered Species List. Instead of this endless cycle of protecting, delisting, hunting to near extinction, and relisting, how about we keep them on the ESA and work towards educating people on why slaughtering everything in their path is immoral and frankly, disgusting.

​Head to WORLD ANIMAL NEWS through the link at the top of this post for the original story. 

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