BOZEMAN, Mont. (May 12, 2017) – An iconic female white wolf in Yellowstone National Park was illegally shot last month, according to necropsy results released late yesterday by the National Park Service. The wolf was found by hikers on April 11 and euthanized by NPS employees due to injuries from the shot.
Jamie Rappaport Clark, Former president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, issued this statement:
"The death of this wolf is another tragic loss in the trend of illegally poaching iconic species. Yellowstone National Park’s wolves are unequivocally prized. These wolves are valued globally, and local communities reliant on tourism benefit significantly from their presence.
"Returning wolves to their natural habitat has a beneficial effect on the entire ecosystem. Wolves help restore greater native diversity of both plant and animal species through their unique hunting and culling behavior. Defenders of Wildlife believes in the inherent value of wildlife and our natural world and condemns the unlawful killing of any animal."
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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