In February 2022, a federal district court struck down a 2020 decision under the Trump administration that removed federal protections from gray wolves across much of the U.S.

This was good news for some wolves, but not all wolves. This ruling restored federal protections for wolves in 44 states, but did not apply to wolves in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. Wolf populations in these states were stripped of federal protections a decade ago under separate congressional action, supporting increased wolf slaughter in these states.

Idaho allows up to 90 percent of the state’s existing wolf population to be killed. Montana sanctioned killing up to 85 percent of its wolf population since the fall of 2021. Both Montana and Idaho have authorized the use of inhumane practices like chokehold snares with the potential to kill entire packs.

The USFWS is currently conducting a status review of the gray wolf in the Northern Rockies and the western United States. With the fall and winter hunts currently underway and wolf populations in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming at risk of being decimated by high hunting quotas and bounties, now is the time for Interior Secretary Haaland to take swift action to restore federal protections to all wolves through an emergency relisting for Northern Rocky Mountain wolf populations.

Send a letter to the Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland to relist all gray wolves under the ESA through an emergency listing for wolves in the Norther Rockies. No wolves are safe until all wolves are safe.

You can send the letter as it is written or adapt it to reflect your personal sentiments.