Over the past couple years, wolf hunting in Idaho has expanded by about 600%. Wolves are essential to the ecosystem of Idaho's forests and mountains, yet false information and new laws have caused these animals to be hunted to the thousands. Hunting and trapping season has expanded to the spring, allowing pups and mothers nursing pups to be targeted, killing of generations of wolves before they can even live their full lives. These beautiful and majestic creatures are being killed for no apparent reason. Wolves pose no threat to the ecosystem, and there are plenty of non-violent and effective ways to repel wolves from your livestock, yet people choose the violent way. This has to stop! 

Now, you might be wondering how wolves are essential to the environment. Well I'll explain. Let's look at what happened in Yellowstone National Park when wolves were removed from the park. Elk lost the fear of wolves hunting them and gathered by streams to overgraze. Grass that used to prevent dirt from pouring into the streams was eaten away. As a result, dirt streams get overwhelmed with mud, preventing trout and other fish from seeing.

Elk also overgraze on saplings, preventing trees from growing. Chipmunks, birds, and other tree-dwelling animals lose their habitat.

All I ask of Governor Little is to move hunting season away from mating/nursing season. Stopping the hunting of wolves is a long process, so step by step we can do it. Moving hunting season away from the time when wolf pups are born is crucial to the survival of wolves and the ecosystem. Allowing wolves to live a good life will make forests and mountains thrive.