Dear Friend,
We've had a major development this week in our case to protect the gray wolves of the northern Rockies.
Late Tuesday night we got word from court on our request to stop the wolf hunts in Idaho and Montana. The Idaho wolf hunt is already underway, with four wolves killed in the first nine days of the hunting season. The Montana wolf hunt begins September 15. The ruling was classic "good news/bad news."
First, the good news. The judge who heard our arguments agreed with us that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had violated the Endangered Species Act when it delisted gray wolves in the Idaho and Montana, but left them on the list of endangered species in Wyoming. So, this was mighty good news concerning our prospects for getting the gray wolf in the northern Rockies back on the list of endangered species.
Now, the bad news. Despite finding a likely violation of the Endangered Species Act, the judge refused to stop the scheduled killing of 330 wolves in Idaho and Montana's wolf hunts this year. We were very disappointed that the judge did not stop the wolf hunts in Idaho and Montana. Hunters are already in the field in Idaho, gunning for wolves.
The Earthjustice team headed up by Doug Honnold out of the Montana office is pressing forward with this case with a renewed sense of urgency knowing wolves are being killed as we litigate the case in the district court.
OLosing these wolves will set back recovery efforts for an animal needed to restore the natural balance across the northern Rockies, but we're not giving up. Until the long-term survival of the species is assured, our lawyers will keep hammering away in the court on their behalf. We ask you to stand strong with us, as you have in the past. We are in it for the long haul and believe we will eventually succeed.
We are grateful to all of you who have stood by us during our long battle to save the wolves, and I hope we can continue to count on your support.
Sincerely,
 |
 |
Trip
Van Noppen
President, Earthjustice
