Le 7 juin 2013, le US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) a annoncé son plan controversé visant à supprimer les protections de la Endangered Species Act (ESA) pour le loup gris (Canis lupus) aux États-Unis contigus. Les protections fédérales de l'ESA ne resteraient que pour la petite population de loups gris mexicains (Canis lupus baileyi) dans le désert du sud-ouest. 

Why the controversy? 

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires that endangered species listing decisions must be governed by the best available science.  Although USFWS director Daniel M. Ashe declared victory for gray wolf recovery by stating  “Wolves are recovered and they are now in good hands,” 16 scientists with expertise in carnivore taxonomy and conservation biology believe the delsiting rule is terribly premature.  So who is correct, the scientists or the elected officials?  The Wolf Conservation Center shares the same concerns expressed by the scientists and by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), a national alliance of local state and federal resource professionals.

Documents obtained by PEER through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit confirm that USFWS presided over a the delisting decision process with political and economic considerations at the forefront, not science.

“These documents confirm our worst suspicions that the fate of the wolf was decided at a political bazaar. The meeting notes certainly explain why no outside scientists were welcome,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch who had been seeking the records since April 2012. “From what we can see, Structured Decision Making was structured primarily to deal out the lower-48 population of gray wolves.”

Lis le PEER Press Release

In the meantime, the 90-day public comment period continues until September 11, 2013.  To submit your comment, please click ICI:

You can also email Secretary Jewell and your representatives.  The Coalition nationale des observateurs de loups des offres points de discussion utiles.

• Intérieur de l'e-mail Secrétaire Sally Jewell

• Contactez vos membres dans le Chambre des représentants et Sénat

Thank you for your support and stay tuned.