Close National Parks to Protect Wildlife During Shutdown

During a government shutdown, America’s wildlife is left unprotected—and our national parks become vulnerable playgrounds for vandalism and destruction. With rangers furloughed and protections stripped away, fragile habitats are trampled, wild animals are disturbed and stressed, and poachers are free to exploit the chaos. This is not just irresponsible—it’s a betrayal of the Department of Interior’s duty to safeguard our shared natural heritage.

Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum must close all national parks to visitors during the government shutdown. Parks without staff are not parks at all—they are open invitations to lawlessness, damage, and irreversible harm to wildlife who call them home.

We’ve already seen what happens when parks remain open without oversight. Sensitive plants and soils are destroyed by illegal off-roading. Archaeological treasures are vandalized. Artifacts are stolen. Trash piles up, threatening both ecosystems and the animals who live there. 

With the Park Service workforce already slashed by nearly a quarter, leaving parks open with no one to protect them is reckless and dangerous.

Former National Park Service leaders have warned that “leaving parks even partially open during a shutdown…puts both visitors and park resources at risk.” It’s like running an airport without air traffic controllers, or a hospital without doctors—utterly unthinkable.

But the greatest victims are the wildlife that depend on these lands for survival. Birds can’t protect their nesting grounds. Bears and elk can’t defend their ranges from intrusion. Endangered species can’t withstand another layer of stress. Without rangers and scientists on duty, their lives and habitats hang in the balance.

Our national parks are not theme parks. They are living sanctuaries that belong to future generations as much as to us. If the government is shut down, then the parks must also shut down—until full staffing and protections are restored.

Please sign the petition to demand real protection for wildlife in times of crisis by calling on Donald Trump and Secretary Burgum to prioritize wildlife and habitats over politics or convenience. Close the national parks during the shutdown—and keep America’s natural treasures safe.
__

Sources

https://www.npca.org/articles/10905-parks-group-calls-for-national-parks-to-close-if-government-shuts-down

https://wessiler.substack.com/p/how-bad-will-a-shutdown-be-for-national

Photo credit NPS