National Rifle Association to Fight Anti-Hunting Groups’ Attempts to Halt Wolf Population Management
30/04/07 14:52
Fairfax, VA- Last week,
in D.C. federal district court, the National Rifle
Association (NRA) moved to intervene in an
anti-hunting lawsuit filed by Humane Society of the
United States (HSUS). The NRA is partnering
with Safari Club International (SCI) in this effort.
The suit by HSUS and affiliated anti-hunting groups
seeks to reverse federal delisting of the Western
Great Lakes gray wolf from the Endangered Species
Act.
“This is yet another example of an anti-hunting group that seeks to ban any and all forms of hunting while demonizing hunters and disregarding the best interests of wildlife,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist. “NRA will not sit idly by while they attempt to bring to an end our country’s rich hunting heritage.”
“This is yet another example of an anti-hunting group that seeks to ban any and all forms of hunting while demonizing hunters and disregarding the best interests of wildlife,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist. “NRA will not sit idly by while they attempt to bring to an end our country’s rich hunting heritage.”
The wolf populations in
Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin have far exceeded
the original numbers set by the federal government
after reintroduction as a measure of when it would be
appropriate to delist.
The true measure of the success of the Endangered Species Act is when a population is delisted. Radical anti-hunting groups like HSUS cannot be allowed to jeopardize future reintroduction efforts around the country by making it nearly impossible for state game agencies to manage populations once they have recovered.
“The gray wolf is a valuable component of our nation's ecosystem. However wolf populations have proliferated. Conservation through sound management is now the appropriate stage for these wolves,” concluded Cox. “States should be allowed to manage the burgeoning populations through hunting. Without hunting as a conservation management tool, there is a risk of increasing conflicts between man and wolf. This will prove detrimental to both.”
The true measure of the success of the Endangered Species Act is when a population is delisted. Radical anti-hunting groups like HSUS cannot be allowed to jeopardize future reintroduction efforts around the country by making it nearly impossible for state game agencies to manage populations once they have recovered.
“The gray wolf is a valuable component of our nation's ecosystem. However wolf populations have proliferated. Conservation through sound management is now the appropriate stage for these wolves,” concluded Cox. “States should be allowed to manage the burgeoning populations through hunting. Without hunting as a conservation management tool, there is a risk of increasing conflicts between man and wolf. This will prove detrimental to both.”
-nra-
Established in 1871, the
National Rifle Association is America’s oldest
civil rights and sportsmen's group. Four
million members strong, NRA continues its mission to
uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate
enforcement of existing laws against violent
offenders to reduce crime. The Association
remains the nation's leader in firearm education and
training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement
and the military.
