The US Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to remove the Gray Wolves in the Great Lakes region from the Endangered Species List, thus allowing them to be killed by hunters and poachers. It is crucial to understand that it was hunting and fur-trapping, along with loss of habitat, that originally decimated the wolf population, putting them on the brink of extinction in the early 20th century. It is true that some recovery of the population has been made; however, this recovery is due mostly to the declared endangered status of the Gray Wolf and the protection that results. There should be no talk of removal until full recovery is made. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is looking for public comments on its hasty proposal. Through signing this petition, we may be able to convey our worries and doubts about relying on state protection of these wolves (as local farmers fear the wolves as a threat to their livestock and prefer to use lethal methods to remove these "threats.")

Please consider signing! A decision will most likely be made at the end of this year.