A young wolf’s death in Daniel, Wyoming is resounding like a mournful howl heard around the world. Reports of her abuse include being run down by a local rancher on snowmobile who captured her in an exhausted and injured state, allowed dogs to attack her, taped her mouth closed and then hauled her into the bar to spend hours with his family and other locals tormenting her until he finally takes the dying wolf “out back” to end her suffering. The pictures and video documenting her abuse have spurred international outrage, calls to action, and open grieving. Many organizations have suggested names for her including “Spirit,” “Theia,” “Hope”, “Tunkan” but only her pack who is missing her knows her real name. For us, we are simply calling her “Mercy” in empathy for what she was never shown by her human tormentors.
While some Wyoming ranchers have tried to justify this local man’s actions by generally blaming wolves for livestock losses, it is important to note there were no livestock losses attributed to the 9-month-old wolf. There was no action taken by the state until weeks later when the news media uncovered the story of her death. So far, their only penalty is a $250 fine for keeping a wild animal captive.
Mercy’s tragic abuse occurred on February 29, 2024, less than a month after the Biden Administration announced its decision to again deny federal protection for wolves across the region. State wildlife managers, hunters and ranchers cheered the decision as a clear sign that the US Fish and Wildlife Service under Secretary Deb Haaland’s authority indicated no interest in extending Endangered Species Act protections for wolves despite their earlier promise to “immediately pursue emergency listing” if a state in the region authorized “unlimited” and “unregulated” killing of wolves. The State of Idaho passed legislation allowed unlimited, unregulated killing of wolves in 2021 and has since allowed limitless wolves to be killed year-round including paying bounty on even newborn wolf pups in their dens.
Had the Biden Administration upheld its commitment to list wolves under this condition, the rancher who abused and killed the young wolf would be facing felony charges and possibly jail time, rather than a mere $250 fine.
Last week, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission met in Riverton, Wyoming and depicted Mercy’s abuse as “casting a shadow” on the state’s “proven record of accomplishment successfully and responsibly managing our gray wolf population. “
State Director Brian R. Nesvik stated, “The actions and behaviors of this individual are not reflective of Wyoming’s values for wildlife… and not in keeping with the conservation principles or ethical behavior that are expected from our state.” In the next breath, Director Nesvik noted that there are no violations for using a snowmobile to chase and injure a wolf, but the only violations occurred when the man possessed a live wolf. Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon (R) added, “I am outraged by this incident… would be disappointed if anyone were to paint Wyoming with a broad brush and suggest that Wyoming citizens condone the reckless, thoughtless and heinous actions of one individual.”
Wyoming officials are fervently downplaying this as the “disgusting” actions of one man, yet since 2017 when wolves lost federal protection, they also lost all protection across 85% of the Wyoming. Outside of the pocket Trophy Game area and Wind River tribal lands where wolves are protected, they are routinely killed year-round using any methods to kill “vermin” including being run over by snowmobiles, chased by hounds, trapped, and left for days to struggle in pain, targeted by aerial gunning, and more.
And it is important to understand that this brutality does not stop at the Wyoming border. April is denning season for wolves. Their newborn pups are born deaf and blind for the first ten days of their lives. Yet the State of Idaho is matching bounty payments on dead wolves including their newborn pups netting bounty hunters thousands of dollars for each litter of pups they kill. There is no limit on the number of wolves killed in Idaho. No season. The rules are almost identical to Wyoming except it is happening statewide even on tribal ceded lands and using millions of taxpayer dollars to eradicate wolves across the state.
The horrific destruction and abuse of wolves under state management is widespread and ongoing. The only way to stop this cruelty is to restore federal protection for wolves. Clearly, the states are unwilling to “responsibly” protect wolves and we cannot allow them to continue devastating these populations.
On May 24, 2021, on a Brave Wilderness broadcast with Coyote Peterson, President Biden reported his grandkids were telling him “Pop, Pop, they’re killing all the wolves, Pop!” He pledged his support then to stop the destruction of wolves and it is time to hold him to this commitment. By executive order, he can enact federal protection for wolves today. “I’m in with you,” he pledged.
We have waited long enough. Wolves cannot survive in this atmosphere of hate and limitless killing. We must act for Mercy’s sake and the hundreds of wolves and their pups facing death each day in the Northern Rockies.
Dear President Biden,
We are writing to appeal to you to act on your public promise across the nation to stop the senseless and brutal killing of wolves in the Northern Rockies. Just this month, another horrific example of the states’ failure to protect wolves has become a global story:
On February, 29, 2024 reports show a young wolf was run over by a Wyoming resident snowmobile who captured her in an exhausted and injured state, taped her mouth closed and then hauled her into the bar to spend hours with his family and other locals tormenting her until he finally takes the dying wolf “out back” to end her suffering. The pictures and video documenting her abuse have spurred international outrage, calls to action, and open grieving.
This is not a “one off” or rare occurrence but part of the ongoing and verified record of cultural violence against wolves in the region.
Enough is enough. We are asking you to uphold your promise to stop the senseless and brutal killing of wolves now by using your Executive Order authority to stop any Unlimited Killing of Wolves on Federal Lands. At a minimum, this would end the killing of wolves across most of Wyoming and Idaho’s present and historic wolf range. No one else can save wolves from this intense persecution that left unchecked will lead to extermination of wolves from all or significant parts of its range.
For Mercy’s Sake, please hear us, President Biden and Act Today.
