Waging War for Wolves | Episode 60

After the horse, no animal better represents the frontier heritage and pastoral expanse of the United States than does the wolf. Revered by some, demonized by others, enthralling to all—it’s also the case that no other wild animal brings such strong emotions to Americans.   No wonder, then, they are the subject of such complex legal and political battles. A byzantine web of state and federal regulations and protections seems to be in perpetual flux, making it difficult for supporters of wolves—or their opponents—to know where the law stands at any one time.   On this episode of the Animal Wellness podcast, Samantha Bruegger, Paul Collins and Jennifer McCausland give their perspectives from two states where the wolf issue could not be more relevant.   Bruegger is the executive director of Washington Wildlife First, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to transforming Washington’s management of its fish, wildlife, and natural spaces from a model of consumptive use to an ethic that values science, respects nature, and prioritizes the preservation of natural ecosystems. McCausland, a resident of Washington and an activist for state issues concerning animals, is the senior vice president of corporate policy for the Center for a Humane Economy. Collins is the Wisconsin state director for Animal Wellness Action and has been focused on protecting wolves in what he calls “ground zero” for efforts to hunt them out of existence.   Bruegger calls on people in the state of Washington to comment on new regulations impacting wolves by visiting this link. She also refers to the Washington Wildlife First Resource Library and a New Yorker article that talks about the politicization of wolves. Finally, McCausland describes her efforts to combat overfishing of King salmon off the Pacific coast and the catastrophic impact overfishing is having on the local population of orcas.   Washington Wildlife First Resource Library: https://wawildlifefirst.org/resources-2/   State wolf planning materials: www.wolfplanning.org   New Yorker article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/04/04/killing-wolves-to-own-the-libs-idaho   www.animalwellnessaction.org www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalWellnessAction Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalwellnessaction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerforahumaneeconomy/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWAction_News Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHumaneCenter   Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Fearless First" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com); License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)