Justice for 1479F: Gray Wolves Need ESA Protections Now

Wolves of the Northern Rockies are under siege. Once driven to near extinction, these majestic animals have fought their way back only to face relentless hunting and government indifference–at both the state and federal levels. 

The heartbreaking killing of Yellowstone’s young wolf 1479F — gunned down the moment she crossed an invisible national park boundary — is the latest proof that state laws are failing and federal protections must be restored. We cannot let political cowardice and special interests undo decades of hard-won recovery and subject these sentient, family-oriented animals to continued violence.

Northern Rockies wolves are being slaughtered while federal officials drag their feet. It has to stop. Wolves are not trophies. They are not targets. They are living, breathing beings critical to the health of our wild ecosystems — and in the context of the laws of the states where they live, they deserve full protection under the Endangered Species Act.

The killing of Yellowstone wolf 1479F is the latest tragic proof. This young wolf, beloved by park visitors and wildlife watchers, was gunned down by a Montana hunter the moment she stepped over Yellowstone’s invisible boundary. She was the last survivor of her litter. Her life, her pack, and her role in the wild were stolen for nothing more than a hunter’s satisfaction. This is not management — it’s a war on wolves.

And the courts agree that wolves are being wronged. A federal judge recently ruled that the Biden Administration violated the Endangered Species Act when it denied protections to wolves in the Northern Rockies. That ruling makes it crystal clear: the science shows wolves are at risk, and federal law demands their protection. The agency failed. Now, the Trump Administration needs to make it right.

Wolves cannot wait. Every day without protection is another day where Yellowstone’s wolves can be lured across a line and legally killed. Every day is another step toward erasing decades of recovery.

Please sign the petition to demand action from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Nothing less than immediately restoring Endangered Species Act protections to wolves in the Northern Rockies is acceptable in light of the violence that Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming hunters and state agencies are causing. The Endangered Species Act can end the needless and brutal killing. Secretary Burgum and the US Fish & Wildlife Service need to follow the science, honor the law, and protect wolves in the Northern Rockies.

Wolf 1479F’s death must be the last straw. We will not stand by while our nation’s wild heritage is destroyed. Please sign now to demand ESA protections and help stop the slaughter of Northern Rockies wolves.