Josh Mogerman's Blog
Wyoming Legislators Might Not Like Wolves…Or Foreigners…Or Tourists…
May 9, 2008
Posted by Josh Mogerman in Saving Wildlife and Wild Places
NRDC has been shining a bright light on the ugliness in the Northern Rockies since grey wolves were delisted last month. To date the animals are being shot down at the rate of one a day in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. We are extremely concerned about how the actions of some in the region could quickly undo all one of the Endangered Species Act’s greatest success stories---Sylvia Fallon’s recent posting does a good job of explaining the science behind the need for relisting.
It has been fascinating to watch how the debate has played out in the media around the country---but especially in those states. The voices are vehement on both sides of the issue. Our members and e-activists have certainly been a part of that discussion, joining the chorus who have made their feelings known all over the place, including letters to state and federal legislators.
Some of the exchanges between wolf supporters and lawmakers have not been pretty. I wonder what the folks at Wyoming Travel and Tourism would think about this letter sent by state Senator Doug Samuelson to Dieter, a wolf watcher from Germany:
Thanks for staying in Germany, you stay there and I will stay here. Also stay out of our politics. You are very misinformed about wildlife management in our state and country. Everyone agreed that wolves would be delisted when the population was only 20% of what it is today. We were tricked by your ilk. We manage wildlife extremely well here, unlike your country which has no free ranging populations. Hunting of elk, moose and bighorn sheep is much more important to our small towns than casual tourists like you. Hunters spend real money and wolves have wiped out thousands of elk and moose. When wolves destroy ranches those ranches don't become parks, they become subdivisions where no wildlife lives. So quite frankly my constituents live in Wyoming and not in Germany so your comments have absolutely no influence on us, just as your politicians should care much more about you than they do about me. Sincerely,Doug Samuelson
Probably not the image the tourism folks are looking to project....but it does not stop there. Poor Dieter, he also got this insulting letter from a state representative:
Dieter:
No wolves are being killed in Yellowstone. The very few wolves (12) that have been killed have trespassed on private property and have been eating privately owned cattle and sheep. We have such a thing as private property rights here in Wyoming - what a concept for you Germans. You have gotten incorrect information.
Thank you very much for your promise to never visit here again. We have a very very serious surplus of tourists here it they are threating the ecological balance we have strived to maintain.
M. Madden
MICHAEL K. MADDEN Wyoming State Representative
Legislators in Wyoming must be getting sick of letters, because they aren’t just unloading on foreign nationals. A professor from Gonzaga University posted an ugly exchange she had with Representative Madden, that included this email:
- -----Original Message-----
From: MICHAEL K. MADDEN
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: FW: wolf kills
Rest assured, there will be plenty of wolves for you well heeled
tourists to enjoy inside the area that is reserved and protected for
them. However, the wolves that multiply and are forced to go outside
the area and feed on privately owned cattle and sheep to their
heart's desire will not be tolerated.
Their are plenty of places in Idaho and Montana that you will be able
recreate, spend [money] and thereby, at the same time, help alleviate
the heavy over-[supply] of tourists that we already have and expect to
keep. Please check their web sites for the mid to high range hotels
and dining places that would appeal to you. In the meantime we will
try to keep our cattle and sheep alive.
M. Madden
Dist. 40
In a follow up, he also implores her, “However, please don't overestimate you and your kind's your importance to our economy and future.”
Now, let me be clear. NRDC has not advocated for any sort of tourism boycott on this issue. We feel that a solution to the wolf issue in this region must take the needs of many into account; hunters and ranchers, as well as wildlife advocates. We believe that we can find new and creative ways to coexist with wildlife and achieve longterm recovery of the wolves of the Northern Rockies through an open and fair democratic process. But that process cannot move forward with this sort of charged and one-sided communication from the very folks who will need to help fix the problem. NRDC and the other environmental groups want to find a real solution to this issue---and we hope that other adults will come to the table to help work this thing out.
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