Alaska Judge Upholds Aerial Wolf Killing But Limits Extent
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Environmental News Service) - A federal judge on Friday invalidated the aerial gunning of wolves in several areas of Alaska in a case brought by four conservation groups challenging the state’s wolf control program. At the same time, Superior Court Judge William Morse upheld the practice of shooting wolves from planes and helicopters.
…In his decision, Judge Morse examined the entire history of Alaska’s wolf control programs. His ruling upholds the aerial gunning program as a whole, while banning the practice in four areas covering up to 15,000 of the total of about 60,000 square miles covered by the program.
The areas where the judge banned aerial gunning are the areas into which the Game Board extended it in 2006, notably covering the entire Forty Mile caribou herd near Tok and also in an area across Cook Inlet from Anchorage.
…From her office in Darien, Connecticut, Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals, said, “Our efforts in the lawsuit stopped aerial wolf control in 12,000 - 15,000 square miles of Alaska - that’s four regions into which the state had expanded their reckless killing schemes in 2006. They’ve opened 60,000 square miles to aircraft and helicopter-assisted shooting as the bureaucracy is hell bent on killing wolves all across the state.”
“These ghastly forays must be halted by public publicy, a majority of voters on a ballot initiative in August, and through other reforms and legal challenges,” said Feral. “Alaska’s mean-spirited predator control programs are a blight on the continent. Friends of Animals is commited to holding the Board of Game’s feet to the fire; their process is a sham.”
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4 Comments
On March 20, 2008, Debra H. Lee wrote:
This so hurts my heart! To know that these beautiful creatures are killed this way (or any way) is horrendous. So many babies are, no doubt, left alone to die without the protection of their parents, as well. The cruelty is appalling!
On March 20, 2008, brenda hixenbaugh wrote:
I believe that hunting animals from the safety of an airplane is totally wrong! I don’t believe in hunting, but this doesn’t even come close. What we need to do is get animals rights people elected into offices, on court benches, in the White House. Then these poor animals could get the clout they need, to put the brakes on these peoples road to the worlds destruction.
On March 20, 2008, Lauren wrote:
This is truly terrible. It is not right to have God’s wonderful creatures be killed. He did not just put them on the Earth to be destroyed by these people. Shooting wolves from airplanes or helicopters or in any way is a cruel thing to do. How would the people who are killing wolves like it if wolves just flew over them and killed them,ending their lives just like that. I am upset by this horrid thing. May someday the wild wolves of this world roam free with no fear of men and their evil weapons. Go Wolves!
On May 13, 2008, Brianne Worthy wrote:
this is so sad it hurts me on the inside I have loved wolves all my life but to see them like this thats just sad that is wrong to what they do to them god put them on this earth for a reason and they are destroying that reason and from an airplane is wrong because the wolf has no idea whats going on I hope that we can make a differince and help save these beautiful animals - long live the wolf!