News  Updates

"True Wolf" World Premiere

Photo courtesy of Wild Sentry

Koani was a beautiful ambassador wolf who is featured in the film, "True Wolf". Bruce Weide and Pat Tucker, Koani's human companions, wanted to give her life purpose.

So for 16 years, this unusual pack traveled into hot beds of anti-wolf territory hoping to show the public the truth about wolves.  This film, produced by Pam Voth, and directed by Rob Whitehair, tells a story about their incredible educational mission!   

The World Premiere screening of True Wolf takes place on May 31st at 6:30PM at Seattle's SIFF Cinema Uptown. We encourage our Seattle-area supporters to attend and bring friends. Koani's people, Bruce Weide and Pat Tucker, will be there as will Rob Whitehair and Pam Voth. The Seattle International Film Festival Box Office opens on May 3rd and we suggest you secure your tickets early.
 
We thank Pam Voth, producer, the opportunity to pre-screened this film. Support its message enthusiatically ~ it's a story that needs to be told nationwide! Wolfwatchers can help that happen by sharing the news about the world premiere with your friends and family.  Updated screenings will be posted on the True Wolf website and True Wolf: Koani and Her Unusual Pack Facebook page.

Important Legislative Update:  

S. 2066: Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act was introduced in the Senate as companion legislation to H.R. 4089: Sportsmen's Herritage Act of 2012  which already passed the House of Representatives.   

Among several dangerous proposals, the bill requires federal agencies to open nearly all public lands to hunting--including national parks.  It would also allow recreational off-road vehicles to invade federally designated Wilderness Areas -- something that has never been allowed before. It would also open the door to new logging, mining and extraction of fossil fuels in these special places.  A juggernaut of powerful interests like the National Rifle Association (NRA) support this legislation.   

We urge you to register on the above POPVOX link to "oppose" S.2066 and opt to leave a brief message for your senators.  We will keep you posted.

Wolves of the Great Lakes Region

L. Tara Morrison, Dave Hornoff, Nancy Warren, Laura Menefee

The Midwest Wolf Stewards Conference is a group that has met annually since the late 1980s to discuss wolf conservation in the Great Lakes region.      Their annual meeting includes professionals from state and federal agencies, the province of Ontario, NGO's, universities, tribes, and others interested in the management of wolves in the Great Lakes region. This year, the annual event was held in Duluth, Minnesota. Wolfwatcher President Dave Hornoff,  Great Lakes Regional Director Nancy Warren and Great Lakes Advisers Tara Morrison and Laura Menefee represented us at the conference this year. The goal of the conference was to provide information and help people become more informed about wolves in the Great Lakes Region.

The two main issues discussed at the Midwest Wolf Stewards Conference were wolf hunting and the depredation of livestock by wolves, which prompted a larger crowd than usual. Wolves were recently delisted in this region, and while legislation is pending in Minnesota,  Wisconsin just passed Act 169 which provides the rules for its first wolf hunting season which will start on October 15th.  

Wisconsin's highly controversial Act 169 is unacceptable because

Wisconsin's Wolves Need Your Help

it dangerously threatens the recovered wolf population in the state. The best approach is the current wolf management plan with frequent and ongoing reassessment. We urge you to contact Wisconsin's Natural Resource Board (NRB) and the DNR Secretary. Please view the video for details about how you can help be a voice for Wisconsin's wolves.

Red Wolves of the Southeast 

Courtesy: Red Wolf Recovery Program, USFWS

Did you know that red wolves are one of the most critically endangered animals in the world? The Red Wolf Coalition is an advocate for red wolves and a strong voice in combating challenges to their recovery in the wild. This year, 2012, marks the 25th anniversary of the reintroduction of red wolves to the wild. The road to red wolf recovery has not been easy; it continues to face many challenges.  

A new crop of pups is being born right now in the lowlands of northeastern North Carolina. You can help the Red Wolf Coalition ensure a bright future for this endangered animal by participating in  the RWC's Crowdrise Earth Day Challenge.   

Wolves of the Northern Rockies:  

USFWS has announced that it is re-opening the comment period re: Wyoming's wolf management plan which was signed by Gov. Mead into law, and awaiting final approval by US Fish and Wildlife Service. Recently, Wyoming revised its plan to clarify its approach to wolf management, including: revised State statutes, revised gray wolf management regulations, a revised gray wolf hunting season regulations, and an Addendum to the Wyoming Gray Wolf Management Plan.   

Consequently, US Fish and Wildlife Service re-opened the comment period.  The plan seeks to kill most wolves living outside Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks.The state wants to increase the area where wolves would be designated as predators and could be killed without limit; they also keep in place a trophy game management area, where hunting will be allowed to dramatically reduce wolf populations. Needless to say, we completely oppose this plan.    From today until May 16, interested citizens will have perhaps a final chance to voice their opinion through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the proposal to remove Endangered Species Act protection for gray wolves in the state. Those who have already submitted their comments need not resubmit, as those comments have already been incorporated into the public record. If you wish to register a comment, you can do so via our website at: Action Alert: Wyoming Wolves Need Our Help. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is beginning to plan its 2012-2013 wolf-hunting season. FWP Director Joe Maurier has announced  that the agency is going to be "much more aggressive in our proposals this next season."  It has been reported that other tools, such as season extensions, trapping and electronic calls will also be considered. We urge you to send in your comments regarding proposed regulations before the FWP Commission makes its final decision in July.  You can do so via our website at: Be a Voice for Montana's Wolves 

Howls for now from the,

National Wolfwatcher Coalition  

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