Grijalva: Fish and Wildlife Service Should Follow Science, Not Cave to Red Wolf Opponents, in Protecting North Carolina Population

Washington, D.C. – Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) announcement that it will suspend efforts to recover the critically endangered red wolf in eastern North Carolina:

“The Service is making a profoundly disappointing decision to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Prejudices and irrational fears led to the initial extirpation of the red wolf, and I’m concerned that those same prejudices and fears led to today’s announcement. This sets a terrible precedent for management of similar species, including the Mexican gray wolf in my home state of Arizona. The Service needs to do its job and follow the science of species recovery, not the loud voices of a few anti-government fearmongers.”

After having been almost wiped out in the twentieth century, red wolves numbered 130 in the wild four years ago and were considered an Endangered Species Act success story. Unfortunately, in response to a small number of anti-conservation complaints, FWS recently stopped its effective program to sterilize coyotes to prevent hybridization, suspended community education efforts, eliminated the position of Red Wolf Recovery Coordinator, and failed to use its authority under the Endangered Species Act to end hunting practices that resulted in the death of numerous red wolves over the past several years.

As a result, red wolf numbers have plummeted to as few as 45 in in the wild. Today’s announcement that the Service will discontinue its active efforts to protect the remaining wolves will almost certainly lead to further deaths, potentially imperiling the entire population.

Press Contact

Media Contact: Adam Sarvana

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