FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 26, 2015

Contact: Courtney Sexton, csexton@defenders.org, 202-772-0253

Bill is death sentence for Mexican gray wolves
Congressmen Pearce and Gosar introduce legislation calling for ending federal protection for Mexican gray wolves
 

Statement by Eva Sargent, Southwest Program Director, Defenders of Wildlife:

“Congressmen Pearce and Gosar have introduced a death sentence for the Mexican gray wolf in their latest legislative proposal. Their bill (HR2910), introduced yesterday, would remove Endangered Species Act protections for the Mexican gray wolf.  This is the most endangered population of wolves in the country, yet these representatives have made it their mission to force it into extinction.

“With only 109 lobos in the wild and hostile state fish and wildlife agencies opposed to wolf recovery, we need to stop playing politics and focus on saving this imperiled species. It is shameful that these members of Congress from the Southwest are leading the charge to cause the extinction of a species that is so much a part of the history and heritage of the American west.”

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Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1.2 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org and follow us on Twitter @DefendersNews.

For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.  

 

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