Predator Defense

PREDATOR DEFENSE IS AN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION WORKING TO PROTECT NATIVE PREDATORS, TO HELP PEOPLE LEARN TO COEXIST WITH THEM, AND TO END AMERICA'S BRUTAL, UNSCIENTIFIC, AND COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE WAR ON WILDLIFE.

GENERAL SUPPORT AND PUBLIC EDUCATION - ONGOING COLLABORATION, ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH WITH THE PUBLIC, THE MEDIA, ELECTED OFFICIALS, STATE AND FEDERAL WILDLIFE AGENCY PERSONNEL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL/CONSERVATION GROUPS TO END AMERICA'S WAR ON WILDLIFE AND PROMOTE SCIENCE-BASED, COMMON SENSE APPROACHES FOR PEOPLE AND PREDATORS TO CO-EXIST. THIS WORK INCLUDES: ENGAGING, EDUCATING, AND GALVANIZING THE PUBLIC TO ACTION ON THE ISSUES VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, EMAIL, AND PRINT COMMUNICATIONS. COLLABORATING WITH RESEARCHERS, GROUPS, GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OTHERS TO IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO REFORM POLICIES AND PROMOTE NON-LETHAL PREDATOR CONTROL SOLUTIONS. COLLABORATING WITH WILDLIFE SCIENTISTS TO SHARE RESULTS OF THEIR RESEARCH TO A BROADER AUDIENCE. WORKING WITH JOURNALISTS ON IN-DEPTH ARTICLES AND FEATURES. WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INJURED OR LOST PETS TO TRAPS AND POISONS USED IN WILDLIFE "MANAGEMENT." FIELDING VOLUMES OF CALLS AND EMAILS REQUESTING EXPERTISE ON PREDATOR-RELATED ISSUES. CONTRIBUTING TO DOCUMENTARIES, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, PUBLIC MEETINGS, AND CONFERENCES.

WOLF PROTECTION - IN 2022 WE CONTINUED OUR CAMPAIGN TO GALVANIZE PUBLIC OUTRAGE AND ACTION TO RESTORE FEDERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT (ESA) PROTECTIONS FOR WOLVES. WE WERE PARTIALLY RELIEVED BY PROTECTIONS A FEDERAL JUDGE GRANTED IN FEBRUARY FOR WOLVES IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE WEST (WHERE KILLING IS MINIMAL) AND IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION, BUT THE SLAUGHTER CONTINUES UNABATED IN THE NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION WHERE WOLVES ARE BEING PUSHED TO FUNCTIONAL EXTINCTION. WE WORKED HARD, BOTH PUBLICLY AND BEHIND THE SCENES, FOR EMERGENCY ESA RELISTING IN N. ROCKIES AND NO-KILL BUFFER ZONE AROUND YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. WE URGED THE PUBLIC TO CONTACT INTERIOR SECRETARY DEB HAALAND AND USFWS TO FOLLOW THE BEST-AVAILABLE SCIENCE AND RESTORE PROTECTIONS, AND WE WORKED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL/CONSERVATION GROUPS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS, USING MULTIPLE STRATEGIES TO CONVINCE THE HAALAND AND USFWS DO THE RIGHT THING. THEY HAVE YET TO RELEASE THEIR DECISION, INITIALLY SLATED FOR SEPTEMBER, SO WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON CONTINGENCY PLANS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS REGARDING ACTIONS TO TAKE IF THE INTERIOR DEPT. DECIDES NOT TO PROTECT WOLF POPULATIONS IN THE N. ROCKIES. FILMS: CONTINUED WORKING WITH A HIGHLY REGARDED DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER ON A FILM THAT COULD BRING A TIPPING POINT OF PUBLIC OUTCRY FOR WOLF PROTECTION-SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE AWARD-WINNING FILMS AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH AND BLACKFISH. THE NEW FILM EXAMINES AMERICA'S WILD SPACES THROUGH THE PORTAL OF WOLVES. IT ADDRESSES THE UNDERLYING SETUP CAUSED BY A UTILITARIAN CULTURE OF EXTRACTION, THE TRAVESTY OF PUBLIC LANDS GRAZING, THE UNJUST "MANAGEMENT" OF WILDLIFE VIA SLAUGHTER, AND THE DIRE NEED FOR REFORM. WE'VE BEEN GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO DEEPEN THE FILMMAKER'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE WOLF ISSUE-THROUGH COUNTLESS PHONE CONVERSATIONS, VIA AN ON-CAMERA INTERVIEW, AND BY CONNECTING THEM TO TOP EXPERTS IN THE FIELD. WE HAVE HOPES THE FILM MAY BE RELEASED IN 2023. IT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF REACHING A HUGE AUDIENCE. ANTI-POACHING REWARDS: CONTINUED EFFORTS IN SEVERAL STATES TO STOP WOLF POACHING. IN WASHINGTON WE PLEDGED $5,000 TOWARD A $30,000 REWARD OFFERED FOR INFO ON ILLEGAL WOLF POISONINGS, AND IN OREGON WE PLEDGED $5,000 TOWARD INDIVIDUAL CASES OF WOLVES BEING SHOT. THE PERPETRATORS MUST BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.

PREDATOR PROTECTION - OVERVIEW: CONTINUED TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST AMERICA'S ONGOING MALIGNING, PERSECUTING AND KILLING OF NATIVE PREDATORS, WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON USDA WILDLIFE SERVICES' BARBARIC WILDLIFE-KILLING PROGRAMS, WHICH IGNORE THE BEST-AVAILABLE SCIENCE AND UNNECESSARILY KILL THOUSANDS OF COYOTES AND OTHER WILD ANIMALS WITHOUT EXAMINING IMPLICATIONS AND DAMAGE. WILDLIFE SERVICES: CELEBRATED A JULY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN WILDLIFE SERVICES AND CONSERVATION GROUPS THAT RESTRICTS IDAHO'S KILLING OF NATIVE PREDATORS ON MANY PROTECTED PUBLIC LANDS AND EXTENDS THEIR M-44 CYANIDE BOMB BAN THRU 2024, POSSIBLY LONGER. THEY ARE BEING FORCED TO FOLLOW THE BEST-AVAILABLE SCIENCE AND COMPLETE A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS). BANNING WILDLIFE TRAPS & POISONS: CONTINUE ONGOING PUSH FOR BANS ON THE INDISCRIMINATE AND LETHAL M-44 CYANIDE BOMBS USED BY GOVERNMENT AGENTS FOR PREDATOR CONTROL. M-44S ARE BOTH A PUBLIC SAFETY MENACE AND HAVE KILLED WOLVES, OTHER WILDLIFE, AND COUNTLESS DOGS. 2022 MARKED THE FURTHEST POINT A FEDERAL BILL TO BAN M-44 CYANIDE BOMBS HAS GOTTEN. A HEARING ON CANYON'S LAW (H.R. 4951) WAS HELD IN JULY BY THE U.S. HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES SUB-COMMITTEE ON WATER, OCEANS AND WILDLIFE. WE HELPED PREPARE DR. MARK MANSFIELD, THE FATHER OF THE POCATELLO M-44 VICTIM, CANYON MANSFIELD, FOR HIS TESTIMONY AT THIS HEARING. WE ALSO SUBMITTED A FORMAL 12-PAGE LETTER FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD, MAKING THE CASE FOR BANNING M-44S AND DETAILING KEY INCIDENTS AND VICTIMS FROM 1990-PRESENT. IN A SURPRISING TURN, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (DOI) ALSO SUBMITTED WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE, INDICATING THEY HAD NO OBJECTION TO CANYON'S LAW AND WERE CONCERNED M-44S POSE A SAFETY RISK TO UNINTENDED TARGETS. REP. PETER DEFAZIO (D-OREG.) ALSO SENT A LETTER TO INTERIOR SEC. HAALAND, TO WHICH WE CONTRIBUTED. SIGNED BY 11 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THE LETTER URGED DOI TO USE ITS AUTHORITY TO BAN M-44S ON ALL PUBLIC LANDS UNDER ITS JURISDICTION. THIS IS A HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD PROTECT A TENTH OF AMERICA'S LAND BASE AND WE ARE PURSUING IT REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS WITH CANYON'S LAW. WE ARE USING MULTIPLE METHODS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO ACT. COYOTES: BEGAN COLLABORATION ON UPDATED SCIENTIFIC OPINION LETTER BY PREEMINENT WILDLIFE ECOLOGIST, DR. ROBERT CRABTREE, ON THE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE EFFECT KILLING COYOTES HAS ON POPULATIONS; IT LEADS TO HYPER-COMPENSATION, WHEREIN AN INCREASED NUMBER OF FEMALES BREED AND PRODUCE PUPS. THIS IS HIS THIRD LETTER FOR US IN THE LAST 25 YEARS. HE IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE FOREMOST EXPERTS ON COYOTES IN THE COUNTRY AND HIS LETTERS HAVE PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN HUNDREDS OF HEARINGS AND TESTIMONIES TO SUPPORT THE END OF COYOTE-KILLING AND THE ABOLISHMENT OF WILDLIFE SERVICES. ALSO MAINTAINED ONGOING SUPPORT OF OREGON EFFORTS TO BAN COYOTE-KILLING CONTESTS. BEARS: WE HAVE LONG RESPONDED TO WILDLIFE CALLS FROM THE PUBLIC, PRIMARILY INVOLVING BEARS, COUGARS, COYOTES AND BOBCATS. SPRING OF 2022 BROUGHT A RECORD NUMBER OF BEAR SIGHTING QUESTIONS, E.G., BEARS COMING UP TO BIRD FEEDERS. CALLERS DON'T WANT TO ALERT STATE OFFICIALS, DUE TO VALID CONCERNS OF BEARS BEING KILLED, AND WE'RE ABLE TO ALLAY THEIR SAFETY CONCERNS AND PROVIDE ADVICE. WE'LL NEVER KNOW THE NUMBER OF BEARS SAVED, BUT BELIEVE IT TO BE SIGNIFICANT. DEMOCRACY FOR PREDATORS: IN 2022 WE SAW THAT DEMOCRACY WAS ON THE BALLOT IN THE MIDTERMS, GIVEN THE MASSIVE ATTEMPT TO SUPPRESS THE VOTE AND SUBVERT ELECTIONS. SO WE ADDED AN OUTREACH CAMPAIGN FOCUSED ON HOW PREDATORS NEED DEMOCRACY AND HOW PEOPLE'S VOTE IS VITAL TO PREDATOR PROTECTIONS. WE BELIEVE THAT--WITHOUT ALL CITIZENS HAVING THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND WITHOUT ALL VOTES BEING COUNTED--THE VOICE OF THE MAJORITY WILL NOT BE HEARD, AND AN ANTI-SCIENCE, ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION, PRO-KILLING MINORITY WILL FINISH OFF OUR LONGSTANDING HOPES FOR ENDING AMERICA'S WAR ON WILDLIFE. SO WE ENCOURAGED OUR SUPPORTERS TO GET OUT THE VOTE.