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 2021 OUR PRIMARY PUSH WAS GALVANIZING PUBLIC OUTRAGE AND ACTION TO RESTORE FEDERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT (ESA) PROTECTIONS FOR WOLVES. WE FOCUSED INTENSIVELY ON THE NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION, WHERE MONTANA AND IDAHO PASSED LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWS SLAUGHTERING 85-90 PERCENT OF THEIR WOLVES, RESPECTIVELY, WHILE WE ALSO PUSHED WITH 70 OTHER GROUPS IN AN OFFICIAL PETITION TO INTERIOR SECRETARY DEB HAALAND AND THE U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICES (USFWS) URGING EMERGENCY ESA RELISTING ACROSS THE WESTERN U.S. USFWS DEEMED THE PETITION "CREDIBLE AND SUBSTANTIAL," ANNOUNCING THEY WOULD CONDUCT AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW AND ANALYSIS USING THE "BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE" TO ARRIVE AT A 12-MONTH FINDING. TRAGICALLY, THE SLAUGHTER IN IDAHO AND MONTANA REMAINS IN HIGH GEAR WHILE USFWS CONDUCTS ITS REVIEW. AS PART OF THIS PUSH WE ALSO WORKED TOWARD STOPPING THE SLAUGHTER OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK WOLVES WHO CROSS THE IMAGINARY PARK BOUNDARY INTO NEIGHBORING STATES, WHERE HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS LAY IN WAIT SPECIFICALLY TO KILL THEM, PARTICULARLY IN MONTANA. THIS ONGOING ATROCITY IS DESTROYING YEARS OF RESEARCH IN WHAT HAS LONG BEEN AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET TO A PERFECT MICROCOSM FOR STUDYING AN UNEXPLOITED WOLF POPULATION. IT DISRUPTED WOLF FAMILIES AND, IRONICALLY, IS INCREASING REPRODUCTION RATES AMONG WOLVES THAT WOULD NEVER HAVE BRED. WE JOINED WITH OTHER GROUPS AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS CALLING FOR A NO-HUNTING BUFFER ZONE AROUND THE PARK. SADLY, SEC. HAALAND DID NOTHING TO HELP WOLVES IN 2021. MEANWHILE, MULTIPLE WOLF POACHINGS/POISONINGS IN OREGON SPURRED US TO GENERATE PUBLIC OUTCRY AND CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIALLY TO A REWARD TO ENCOURAGE THE POACHERS BEING BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.

PREDATOR PROTECTION - OVERVIEW: CONTINUED TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST 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. BANNING WILDLIFE POISONS: WE'VE PUSHED SINCE OUR INCEPTION FOR BANS ON THE INDISCRIMINATE AND LETHAL M-44 "CYANIDE BOMBS" USED BY GOVERNMENT AGENTS FOR PREDATOR CONTROL. M-44S ARE A PUBLIC SAFETY MENACE AND HAVE ALSO KILLED WOLVES, OTHER WILDLIFE, AND COUNTLESS DOGS. IN 2021 WE EDUCATED THE PUBLIC ON A NEW FEDERAL BILL INTRODUCED BY U.S. REP. PETER DEFAZIO (D-OREG) THAT WOULD BAN M-44S ON PUBLIC LANDS NATIONWIDE. PROMOTING SCIENCE: OUR WORK TO PROMOTE THE FACT THAT SCIENCE, NOT MYTH, SHOULD BE USED AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE BY WILDLIFE MANAGERS CONTINUES. A KEY 2021 FOCUS WAS MEMORIALIZING NOTED PREDATOR ECOLOGIST AND ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER JOHN LAUNDRÉ, PH.D., WHO PASSED AWAY IN MARCH, BY PROMOTING HIS RESEARCH AND WRITINGS ON THE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE NATURE OF LETHAL PREDATOR CONTROL AND THE MYTH OF THE NORTH AMERICAN MODEL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT. COYOTES: SUPPORTED OREGON EFFORTS TO BAN COYOTE-KILLING CONTESTS. BEARS: HELPED GENERATE PUBLIC OUTRAGE REGARDING OREGON DEPT. OF FISH AND WILDLIFE KILLING A BEAR CUB. GENERAL: OUTREACH REGARDING TROPHY HUNTING BEING ARTIFICIAL SELECTION THAT IMPAIRS GENETIC STRENGTH, AND STAUNCH STANDS AGAINST AMERICA'S ONGOING MALIGNING, PERSECUTING AND KILLING OF NATIVE PREDATORS.