As many of you know, I've been an active part of saving the wolves of the US. I have blogged about everything from their rise in numbers, to the increase in hunting of these animals. Well, it appears that the wolves and their protectors have just taken a blow. The Alaskan voters defeated a ballot initiative that would have ended the aerial hunting of wolves. 

Often deep-pocketed special interests groups win these types of battles, and today they won over the voters with over $750,000 in ad campaigns from the Safari Club International as well as state run campaigns who used deceptive propaganda to defeat the initiative.

Nick Jans, co-chair of
Alaskans for Wildlife said:

“I want to thank Defenders of Wildlife
supporters for their support for Alaska's wolves over the years.

"We
faced an approximately $750,000 campaign from our opponents -- including Safari
Club International and a $400,000 state-funded campaign approved by Governor
Sarah Palin and the Alaska legislature. They used deceptive propaganda and the
authority of the Alaska government to defeat the ballot initiative.

"But
thanks to the help of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund supporters, we were able
to reach thousands of voters. Yesterday, over 75,000 Alaskans voted to end this
barbaric practice. 

“Despite this loss, we’re not giving up -- Alaskans
for Wildlife will continue to hold the state Board of Game’s feet to the fire
and redouble our efforts to end this brutal program.”

 

As another season of bloody aerial hunting begins, the Defenders of Wildlife are going to be doubling their efforts to get the PAW act passed. The PAW act was introduced by Rep. George Miller (CA) to Protect America's Wildlife (PAW). This legislation would close a federal loophole, curb Alaska's brutal aerial hunting program and prevent programs like it from spreading to places like the Greater Yellowstone region.

 If you would like to help the wolves and have this non-sporting form of hunting banned please sign the petition at the Defenders of Wildlife's website:

https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAc...

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