Folks,
Background
As states move forward with efforts to recover hard-hit wild game populations, federal predator management efforts will be important. Now wolf activist groups are attacking the federal agency tasked with control of wolves and other predator species.
The Claim
Last week I received an email indicating that one activist organization has sent tens of thousands of messages to the federal officials “demanding an investigation” of USDA Wildlife Services. The email attempts to label Wildlife Services as a “rogue government agency” which is carrying out a “taxpayer funded wildlife extermination program.”
Fact Checking the Allegations
As you may be aware, one of the important commitments of the federal wolf introduction program was to remove wolves that cause damage to livestock, pets and wild game populations. Documents obtained by Big Game Forever indicate that in a single year, Federal agencies spent $3,763,000 for wolf management and that private and state agencies provided $457,785 in compensation for wolf-caused damage (a fraction of all actual wolf-cause damage according to the report.) Despite the high level of funding for wolf-control activities, wolf numbers continued to increase during the year in question.
What Big Game Forever is Doing
Stay tuned for updates on this important issue. Big Game Forever will continue to monitor this issue as it develops. It is critically important to wild game protection that USDA Wildlife Services continue its efforts to maintain balance between predator and prey species across America. We will let you know if and when your support is needed.
Thanks for your interest,
Ryan Benson
http://biggameforever.orgryandbenson@msn.com
