Great pro-wolf letters to the editor, July 7-15

Writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper is an excellent way to raise awareness about critically endangered Mexican gray wolves and the steps needed to help them thrive. Surveys of newspaper readers show that the letters page is among the most closely read parts of the paper. It’s also the page policy-makers look to as a barometer of public opinion. We applaud these fine letter writers, who are making a difference for endangered lobos!

Santa Fe New Mexican July 14, 2015

Kill lobos?

Why does U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., want to kill off the Mexican gray wolf with the introduction of HR 2910, which would remove the Endangered Species Act protections for this rare wolf and open up hunting for the wolves? There are fewer than 120 Mexican wolves in the entire world.

We have always honored the wolf and even commercialize, memorialize and commemorate the lobo by naming sports teams and businesses after it. What does it say about us if we allow its extinction because we stripped away these protections?

To ensure the recovery of this magnificent animal, we need the protections of the Endangered Species Act. If Pearce gets this bill through Congress, he once again will be going against the wishes of New Mexicans.

CATHY MCMANUS
Edgewood

Why wolves matter

I understand the emotion about wolves (“Feelings for wolves,” Letters to the editor, July 6). I feel a lot of what letter writer Melissa Smith is talking about, too, but we need to be pragmatic as well.

The forest is not just lots of trees, and an ecosystem is not just deer and elk. I have learned in the last few years that coyotes, bears, cougars and wolves are essential in ways that are unexpected. It’s one of those science-y things that a lot of us don’t get or just ignore. But a lot of us do get it, even if we don’t understand all of it.

Congress doesn’t seem to get it, either. Since Jan. 1, our representatives have introduced bills and amendments attacking all or parts of the Endangered Species Act. We need to educate the rest of the population about the facts so that Congress can worry about something else.

DONALD JONES
Los Alamos

White Mountain Independent, July 7, 2015:

Undermining wolf recovery efforts

On June 25 Rep. Gosar, Ariz., and Rep. Pearce, N.M., co-sponsored the ” Mexican Wolf Transparency and Accountability Act,” H.R. 2910, to ensure the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s Mexican wolf nonessential experimental population 10(j) rule has no force or effect, and for other purposes.

This will undermine the wolf recovery project and the Endangered Species Act. There are only 109 Mexican gray wolves in the entire United States, making them highly endangered. I want my representative to work for the greater protection of these wolves and to oppose efforts to push them closer to extinction.

Since 2008 there have been a number of polls where registered Arizona voters overwhelmingly support the wolf recovery project, introducing more wolves into a larger area and allowing the wolves north of Interstate 40.

In Arizona wolves account for less than 1 percent of the total cattle and calf losses.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, the Department of Agriculture and nonprofit organizations all have programs to assist ranchers financially or with tools and management techniques to reduce conflicts with wolves.

The Arizona Game and Fish does not seem to care about the majority of the voters in our state. The wolf gene pool is in an extremely dangerous situation. There needs to be many more wolves introduced so they are not genetically unable to be saved due to inbreeding in the packs.

MACK DAVIS
Flagstaff

Tips and talking points for writing your letter can be found HERE, but please write in your own words, from your own experience. Don’t try to include all of the points listed. Your letter will be effective if you keep it brief and focus on a few key points.

Submit your letter to the Santa Fe New Mexican here.

Submit your letter to the White Mountain Independent here.

PLEASE ALSO CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS and urge them not to cosponsor or vote for this bill or any similar bills or riders.

Contact info for your reps is available https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members just by clicking on your state:

When you call, you can simply say something like:

As a constituent, I urge Representative X to oppose the “Mexican Wolf Transparency and Accountability Act” and any other legislation or riders that seek to undermine wolf recovery or the Endangered Species Act. Only about 109 Mexican gray wolves remain in the wild in the United States, making them highly endangered. I want my representative X to work for the greater protection of these wolves and to oppose efforts to push them closer to extinction.

Please be polite and thank whoever answers the phone.

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