Southwest Wolves Face Extinction in the Wild

by Rodger Schlickeisen

You may have heard of the struggles of wolves in Alaska and the Greater Yellowstone region. But you may not know that a small, but important, population of some of the world's most endangered wild wolves clings to survival in the American Southwest.

The fate of the Southwest wolf hangs in the balance: Anti-wolf politicians, lawless wolf-killers and well-funded wolf opponents are mounting an offensive of misinformation and scare tactics to once again eliminate these iconic creatures from their rightful home.

Please make a tax-deductible donation today to help counter the misinformation and save these icons of the American Southwest. Through October 31st, with your contribution of $50 or more, you'll receive a 12-inch plush wolf as a reminder of your support for Southwest wolves.

Your contribution will help support our new campaign to ensure the wolf's rightful place in the Southwest and fund our ongoing work to save Southwest wolves and other wildlife.

By 1970, Southwest wolves were eliminated from the wild in the United States. But in one of the great conservation victories of the 20th Century, these rare wolves were reintroduced to New Mexico and Arizona in 1998, thanks to a captive breeding and recovery program.

Unfortunately, there are now fewer than 60 of these wolves remaining in the wild, and they need all the help they can get.

Now, as federal officials review the Southwest wolf recovery program, anti-wolf forces are mounting a campaign to derail efforts to save these magnificent animals.

The very future of these special creatures is on the line. Please make a tax-deductible donation today to help save these magnificent creatures and other imperiled wildlife.

Defenders is playing a leading role in protecting wolves in the Southwest. We're posting rewards to track down and bring lawless wolf-killers to justice. We're working with local ranchers and private land owners to reduce conflicts with wolves. And in June - thanks to the help of hundreds of our activists in the Southwest - we soundly defeated Rep. Steve Pearce's (NM) attempt to kill off the vital wolf recovery program in the U.S. House.

But these efforts wouldn't be possible without your help. Please donate now to save wolves in the Southwest.

The official review of the Southwest wolf recovery program is now underway, and we have our first opportunity in nearly a decade to secure a brighter future for these charismatic canines.

That's why we're launching a two-month campaign right now to save our Southwest wolves - and make sure sound science and common sense win out over politics and misinformation.

Please support our campaign today. Your donation is vital to our efforts to save Southwest wolves.

Nearly a decade after their historic return to the wild, we've reached a critical crossroads in the recovery of wolves in the Southwest. Will these wolves finally thrive in their historic home? Or will the anti-wolf groups win out - causing these magnificent creatures to once again disappear from the wild?

With your support, we can help ensure that wolves in the American Southwest will be around for future generations to enjoy.

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com

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