12年前，灰狼族群被重新引進美西洛磯山脈，而美國聯邦政府於日前宣佈的計畫，讓這批狼群及後代面臨被捕殺的命運。
聯邦政府希望在2007年底或明年初，將灰狼由瀕危動物名單中除名，此舉遭到保育團體反對。但6日美國魚類暨野生物管理局（USFWS）宣佈提案，將准許在正式除名前開放獵殺洛磯山脈地區的灰狼。
根據該項提案，在黃石與大提頓國家公園之外，以及愛達荷州中部的狼群都可能被獵殺。管理局表示，開放獵殺狼群會有助於保護糜鹿等大型獵獸免受灰狼捕食。
愛達荷州與懷俄明州政府已經表示，他們打算立即除去州內50%的狼，總數在700匹以上。「政府將狼當成禍害看待，而非保育類動物。他們正推翻美國史上最成功的野生動物復育計畫，」自然資源保護委員會（NRDC）的威考克斯（Wilcox）說，「灰狼族群曾歷經超過1世紀的撲殺，又奇蹟似地得以重新復育，現在走回頭路將是個巨大的錯誤。」
反對此提案的人士提倡使用不具殺傷性的方式，減少狼群與牲口之間的衝突，包括牧犬隊、通電圍欄、懸掛警旗的圍籬（fladry fencing）、專任農場騎士等。只要確定有狼造成牲口損失，他們也會依市價給予牧場主人全額補償。
管理局則表示，「過去12年來，有人在旁看管的牲口從未被狼群掠奪，只有幾件牲畜受狼驚嚇的紀錄回報。」
美西洛磯山脈原本居住著數以千計的灰狼，但1930年左右已被撲殺殆盡。1973年灰狼被列為瀕危物種法案中的瀕危動物。經過努力，有66匹灰狼於1995年及96年被重新引進黃石公園及愛達荷州。現今在愛達荷、蒙大拿與懷俄明三州居住的狼群約有1300匹。
"The government wants to treat wolves like vermin instead of an endangered species," said Louisa Willcox of the Natural Resources Defense Council, NRDC. "It's trying to reverse one of the most successful wildlife recovery programs in U.S. history." "Their recovery after more than a century of extermination is nothing short of miraculous. Turning back the clock would be a huge mistake."Twelve years after reintroducing gray wolves to the Northern Rockies, the federal government has announced a plan that allows many of these same wolves and their offspring to be killed.
The government wants to remove the wolves from the endangered species list in late 2007 or early 2008, a move that conservation groups oppose. The new proposal allows wolves in the Northern Rockies to be killed before they are formally delisted.
Under the proposed rule issued Friday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wolves outside Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and wolves that live in Central Idaho's wild country could be killed. The Service says it needs to make killing wolves easier to protect big game from wolf predation.
Idaho and Wyoming state officials have said they intend to immediately kill over 50 percent, or up to 700 animals.
"The government wants to treat wolves like vermin instead of an endangered species," said Louisa Willcox of the Natural Resources Defense Council, NRDC. "It's trying to reverse one of the most successful wildlife recovery programs in U.S. history." "Their recovery after more than a century of extermination is nothing short of miraculous. Turning back the clock would be a huge mistake."
Defenders supports the use of non-lethal measures to reduce livestock-wolf conflicts such as multiple guard dogs, electric night pens, fladry fencing, and task-specific range riders. Defenders compensate ranchers 100 percent of the market value for confirmed livestock losses caused by wolves.
"There has been no documentation of wolf depredations on stock animals that were accompanied by their owners in the past 12 years, but a few instances of stock animals being spooked by wolves have been reported," the Service said.
Thousands of gray wolves inhabited the Rocky Mountains before being eliminated across most of the West by the 1930s. The gray wolf was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 1973.
Reintroduction efforts placed 66 wolves in Yellowstone National Park and part of Idaho in 1995 and 1996. About 1,300 wolves now live in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
