Wolf Advocates Gather Support for Alaska Tourism Boycott
BOSTON — On Saturday, Feb. 19, wolf supporters including the Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition will hold a Howl-In to gather pledges in Boston for the Alaska travel boycott.
Advocates will gather from 1 pm until 3 pm at Faneuil Hall, displaying posters announcing that “Alaska is planning a heart-stopping wildlife spectacle” and showing a wolf in a rifle’s crosshairs. Residents and tourists will be empowered to sign postcards, addressed to Alaska’s Gov. Frank Murkowski, pledging to boycott Alaska $2 billion tourism industry until the state’s aerial wolf-killing program is cancelled.
Alaska has been issuing wolf-killing permits to hunter-pilot teams since November 2003. The state gets support from a few people who want to hunt moose and who agree with the idea of wiping out predators who compete with human hunters. According to Friends of Animals, the international animal rights organization coordinating the Alaska boycott campaign, the latest plans of Alaska’s officials include a goal to kill as many as 1,025 wolves this winter alone.
“We oppose Alaska’s policy of turning one of North America’s last great natural areas into one big moose ranch,” said Daniel Hammer, Howl-In coordinator for Friends of Animals. “Ending this gruesome business of wolf control will require the commitment of individuals willing to take a stand for free-living animals and their habitat.”
Friends of Animals set a goal of 28,000 boycott pledges by the end of February. For this purpose a Virtual Howl-In lets supporters enter their names and addresses into an online form on the Friends of Animals website. The organization will then mail a physical postcard to Alaska’s Gov. Murkowski on behalf of each signatory.
To raise awareness about Alaska’s aerial wolf-killing scheme Friends of Animals has produced a 60-second dramatization which depicts the plight of Alaska wolves as, one by one, they are tracked and killed by airborne hunter-pilot teams.
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19 Comments
On February 17, 2005, Chris Kovach wrote:
Wolves are being hunted enough without the aerial program, if they don’t stop there will not be any more wolves in Alaska period!!!!!
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On February 19, 2005, Debi wrote:
If you do not live here in Alaska, you do not know what it is like. We used to see moose in our yards all the time, now you are lucky if you see one in a year. The wolves are sick, they have diseases you are never told about, and the only cheap way to get rid of the sick ones is to hunt them. Trapping them is too much of a chance that you will only get the healthy ones. So maybe you should check into things more before you start and uproar.
On February 21, 2005, Joan wrote:
No, I do not live in Alaska. But I do understand that every creature on this earth has a purpose and deserves to live like the moose and the wolves. I, for one, will not be visiting Alaska until this terrible slaughter is ended. How could anyone in their right mind not be opposed to senseless slaughter?
On February 22, 2005, Priscilla wrote:
It’s possible to live in Alaska and not share Debi’s upside down reality that refers to wolves as sick, full of diseases, and, as a result, in need of shooting. Debi’s declaration is hateful. Moose and wolves have a tough time trying to survive in Alaska due to extreme weather conditions coupled with the state’s Draconian measures that are best left for snow removal.
Priscilla Feral
Friends of Animals
On February 22, 2005, Jim Freeburger wrote:
I must agree with Priscilla. Debi’s view is myopic. What Alaska is doing is slaughtering the wolves so that hunters can, in turn, slaughter the moose and caribou. The wolves need space to roam and they need to be left alone to their own devices and hunting and trapping should be banned everywhere.
On February 26, 2005, Ellie Maldonado wrote:
‘Wolves are sick, and must be hunted’….that sounds like the ‘cats are bewitched, and must be killed’ superstition of the Middle Ages.
On March 4, 2005, Dollie Wheeler wrote:
I am an Alaskan. I believe what all these Fish&Game wildlife people,and our goverener are doing, is the most unhumane thing that I have ever heard of. It is a complete slaughter house, and I am disgusted w/ these people. I feel that they are all in it for the thrill of hunting. The moose and wolves will balance themselves out,it’s called nature.
On March 5, 2005, francine wrote:
yes it makes me sick as a mom to have to teach my kids to love and respect all gods creatures big nor small
cause they were all here for a reason and that reason is’nt to be killed
what is wrong with this world that we live in
were men need or feel
they need to grap a gun and kill a animal
why
good question
i dont think they even know
cause there is no damm reason to kill an animal
none none none
and for those of you who think its ok
i really feel sorry for you
cause you have major problems
On March 9, 2005, brian march 9th 2005 wrote:
try not to forget that wolves and bears and humans are about the only animals in the world that actually sport hunt. but we humans will actually take steps to regulate our hunting so as not to completely wipe out a species.we’ve actually learned from some mistakes our forefathers have made. If you think that boycotting our beautiful state is going to have any influence on this desperate situation we have going your wrong.
On September 20, 2005, Morgan wrote:
What did wolves ever do to people they are just trying to live.
If people don’t be careful we are going to destroy this world and everything on it!!Killing wolves is wrong when this animal is so close to being endangered!!
On November 10, 2005, JA in AK wrote:
The view that is myopic is that hunting should be banned everywhere. In parts of Alaska there are no stores and the permafrost makes it impossible to grow food. Would you have the people here starve rather than harvest the wild game? The alternative is to move to the cities, which is where I am sure most who blog here live. That is less humane than killing a few wolves. Wolves, by the way, are abundant up here and are in no danger of becoming endangered. While I may not agree with the method, I do know that if we are to allow the harvest of game animals we must also balance the predators. It is for certain that Alaskans will forever use the wild game for survival.
Editor’s note: You’ve got it wrong about no groceries and more. Even remote villages operate on cash, and mostly daily deliveries of mail and groceries. Alaskans are taxed little, paid well for work, and number 600,000 human residents. That’s in contrast to several thousand wolves who have to eke out a living in a harsh climate — despite random acts of violence by f trappers/hunters who see free-living wolves, bears and other animals as subjects to be dominated.
On November 15, 2005, Giovanni Di Nardi wrote:
If we continue to kill these magnificent wolves, we are assured of one thing: they will eventually become extinct.
Remember, The reason for the passage of the Endangered Species Act was twofold…Habitat Destruction and Hunting.
Killing animals on a grand scale such as hunting, cannot possibly benefit any species. It is not conservation, it is senseless devastation!
Fortunately,in the US the sale of hunting licenses has decreased by more than 25% nationwide. This means more people are realizing the importance of our wildlife heritage and they are refraining from joining the ranks of hunters and trappers. The majority of mainstream hunters today are old die hard types that will soon be gone and our new generation of youth shows very little interest in killing animals. Hunting is dying a slow death.
The killing of wolves must stop, and we must continue to fight for their survival…there is no compromise. If we don’t stop killing the wolves, the day may come where a single wolf raises his head to the moonlit sky and howls his beautiful song; only to be answered by dead silence.
On December 1, 2005, wolfspirit wrote:
I am enraged that the state of Alaska issues hunting license in exchange for money which permits greedy hunters to kill free innocent animals of the wild. The eagle has been on the endangered species list for sometime. Why cant our governments list all animals as endangered species. If our government continues to ignore the rights of animals, we will no longer be able to enjoy wildlife in the future. I am against these horable evil acts of man against wildlife. Hunt because you have to survive, not because it is a sport.
On February 24, 2006, Rainman wrote:
I have lived in Alaska for many years & find it amazing that so many of you from down south know nothing of what goes on up here. Many of us have left the south to get away from u scewballs. First man has domain over animals not the other way around. Many of us do hunt for the food.We also don’t like packs of wild dogs running loose. wolves are no diffrent. Please send names & addresses to our state office & we’ll be glad to send you all the wolves your state can take since you people killed all yours for your suburbes.
On March 16, 2006, none wrote:
There is an attitude in Alaska, that somehow Alaskans are “better”, and so can make comments about how the lower 48ers are ignorant and should not be listened to. Many of those attitudes come from people who were not actually born in Alaska. Alaska is a big state, with some equally big egos. Egos though do not make logical and rational decisions. Alaskans do not want their rights taken away, but this wolf killing is not a “right”.
The writer who labeled people who have a different opinion than his “screwballs” should go back down south himself, where he came from. He has not left the screwballs, he just ran away. This is the year 2006, and the pioneer life is over, you missed it. Now to be a pioneer, it takes different sort of courage, the courage to do what is right in the face of the steamroller of human selfishness. Down south, will come to Alaska with idiots coming up here and disrespecting nature and pretending to “understand” Alaska. While living out some fantasy. Get a grip, Alaska is part of the world, not a place to run away to and then act as if you are better than others. You are not more intelligent because of moving to Alaska, just lucky. Perhaps you should use some actual intelligence and think about this matter rather than just supporting a program to kill the wolves, while the “screwballs” down south whom you ran away from, say not to. You claim to be some expert on Alaska, but that is your own interpretation.
I don’t put my name on this letter because of the hostility of the people who are pumped up to live their Alaskan fantasy, no matter about respect or reality.
[Blog editors’ note: Please, folks, include your names, because if you don’t you might wind up writing a long message and having it tossed out. Thank you.]
On May 7, 2006, Jeff D. wrote:
This is not wolf hunt . This is a slaughter. Wolves are being hunted by aerial hunters and entire packs are being slaughtered at once. Even puppies are being killed! Or they end up dying because they can’t fend for themselves when their families are slaughtered. This is ridiculous. The voters of alaska did not approve of the governor’s plan to kill wolves by air. The wolves have a hard enough time surviving with the increasing population, and ranches going up everywhere pushing these animals out of their natural habitat. And now with them wanting to drill for oil and disrupt alaska’s ecosystem its going to make things worse for animals who only want to live free in their natural habitat. Humans are encroaching on wild lands that should be KEPT WILD and hunters should not be allowed in these areas at all! More land needs to be kept wild and made into national parks in central and northern alaska so the government can’t go in there and destroy it. Wolves like moose have a right to roam free and that stuff about the moose is lies….Hunters are the cause of the decline in moose population as well, NOT THE WOLVES. It is documented.
Wolves keep the moose populations in check..it is increased HUMAN development, the increase of drilling and mining, and forestry in the area for resources when we should be developing alternative fuel and resources that is leading to the decline of all species, moose and wolf alike. And it is the increase of hunting ….by hunters who go unchecked or uncontrolled by limits…Yeah the govt. can say they have game limits, but if it isn’t enforced who is going to stop these hunters from killing every last wolf. Wolves should not be allowed to be slaughtered in this manner, entire wolf packs are being slaughtered! THis is ridiculous and a sick, barbaric practice that needs to stop. I ask every one of you to Boycott alaska and not go there until they stop the aerial slaughter.
Regular hunting is fine, but should also have limits as to which kind of wolves they can kill, and how many….more enforcement is needed too. People are getting away with this slaughter and something needs to be done about it. The problem is with gas prices and iraq as the main issues of this stupid administration. (BUSH), I doubt anyone will even care.
On October 23, 2006, alice wrote:
aerial hunting of wolves is basically a shortsighted slaughter. yes, if you kill the predator, logically prey population will increase. but then the full effect takes over and you get more and more prey with no pressure except that of the weather and human hunters, whuch leads to overpopulation and overgrazing.. leading to disease and death. does that sound like a future for alaska?
On December 29, 2006, wolfluver1 wrote:
dear debi and the people who agree with her,
why? why? why? maybe some of the wolves have a disease but not the majority that are being killed. Can you answer that? I so I would love to hear the answer.
i have never heard of an unknown disease among the wolves of Alaska. The first letter is correct. Do you like seeing wolves? I do. I would do anything to save them. Wolf hunting by air is so very wrong. Why do you kill them anyway? For their fur? NO! people go around wearing fur coats but why? Don’t you ever ask yourself these questions? An animal gave its life for that fur and it is very wrong to wear it. It will come back to haunt you.
On December 29, 2006, kelly wrote:
dear debi,
are you really supporting the idea of animals being killed by land and air just so you can see a few moose walk through your yard?