Wolf advocates are asking for a Christmas miracle for the wolves of Yellowstone and Grand Teton. The appeal comes from the group Protect The Wolves. It says Wyoming’s wolf hunting season has already taken a heavy toll on animals that live in and around the two national parks.
The numbers are stark, according to the group. By December 22, 2017, hunters in Wyoming had killed 73 wolves. Of those, 43 were wolves that could have been park wolves. That share worries the advocates most, since those animals may have come from the packs that live inside the parks.
Protect The Wolves had tried to change the rules before the toll grew. It filed a regulation petition with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. In it, the group asked the agency to limit hunting near the national parks. Still, the petition was not adopted.
Public support was not the problem, in the group’s view. After all, it says it gathered more than 400,000 signatures for its request. Even so, those voices were given no weight when the decision was made. The release says the petition fell on deaf ears.
The timing of the appeal is deliberate, though. With the season still under way at Christmas, the advocates tied their message to the holiday and its hope for a miracle. They want protection for the wolves of Yellowstone and Teton. They also argue that the state has so far ignored the public’s call for it.
For now, the decision rests with Wyoming wildlife managers. Until the rules change, the group’s concern about wolves near the parks will remain.
