Republicans sponsor measures to delist wolves as endangered in the lower 48 states

[G_j]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101003/ap_on_re_us/us_gray_wolves_congress

Western lawmakers turn sights on endangered wolves

By MATTHEW BROWN, Associated Press Writer Matthew Brown, Associated Press Writer

BILLINGS, Mont. – Two decades after the federal government spent a half-million dollars to study the reintroduction of gray wolves to the Northern Rockies, lawmakers say it's time for Congress to step in again — this time to clamp down on the endangered animals.

<snip>

Critics say the move would undercut one of the nation's premiere environmental laws and allow for the unchecked killing of wolves across the West.


<snip>

Environmentalists have vowed to lobby hard against several wolf bills introduced in the past two weeks. And the measures face another hurdle: Lawmakers are split along party lines over which states should be allowed to hunt wolves.

A measure introduced by Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester, Montana Democrats, would leave wolves endangered in Wyoming, which has a shoot-on-sight law for wolves across most of the state.

<snip>

Republicans have sponsored more sweeping measures that would delist wolves across the lower 48 states, including Wyoming. Idaho's delegation has yet another bill, described as a fall-back plan, that includes only that state and Montana.
..more..

[G_j]

1. Help stop the killing

Help Stop the Federal Wolf Killing Plan

The federal Wildlife Services agency (a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture) is the primary wolf-killer in the United States -- and now wants to expand their wolf-killing operations… even in the face of a court ruling restoring protections to these iconic animals.

Wildlife Services plans to work with Idaho officials to eliminate up to 80 percent of the wolves in central Idaho by land and from the air. Their plan also includes killing entire packs -- including gassing helpless wolf pups in their dens -- and surgically sterilizing alpha wolf pairs.

Help stop the killing. Urge President Obama’s Secretary of the Department of Agriculture to nix the planned wolf slaughter and rein in Wildlife Services.

https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1899

[LWolf]

2. Of course they do.

:grr:

Republicans could learn a lot from their smarter brothers, the wolves.

[G_j]

3. absolutely

:hi:

[G_j]

4. ++