Yellowstone National Park, Wyo.

In recent months, 20 gray wolves from Yellowstone National Park have been confirmed shot by hunters after leaving the park’s boundaries—15 wolves in Montana and five more in Idaho and Wyoming. These killings include most or all of the Phantom Lake Pack, which is now considered “eliminated” by the park.

Jamie Rappaport Clark, Former president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, made the following statement:

“These killings remind us that no gray wolf is safe in the Lower 48. Unless we stop these deaths, the continued bloodshed will severely erode the long-term health of Yellowstone’s iconic wolves and severely undermine the decades of research so important to understanding wolves worldwide. We call upon the USFWS to use their emergency authority to reinstate federal protections for wolves in the Northern Rockies and end this needless loss of life.”

For over 75 years, Defenders of Wildlife has remained dedicated to protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on X @Defenders.

  

Media Contact

News

Image
A Transient orca jumps out of the water, making an arch with its body. It's back half and tail are almost completely covered with a white wave, splash.
Salem, OR

Defenders and Partners Urge Oregon State Action on Wildlife Conservation Bill as Two Senators Block Bipartisan Effort

A landmark bill to fund wildlife conservation in Oregon is being held up in the State Senate, despite passing the House with strong bipartisan support and clearing Senate Rules.
Image
elk landscape
Washington, D.C.

New Assault on Public Lands Betrays Will of American People

Defenders of Wildlife slammed Senator Mike Lee’s (R-UT) most recent attempt to sell off our nation’s public lands through a provision in the Senate’s budget reconciliation bill for what it is – a brazen betrayal of the will of the American people.