Wolf Pack Mercilessly Slaughtered From a Helicopter

By Rodger Schlickeisen

More horrible news from Idaho: most members of Idaho's Basin Butte wolf pack have been mercilessly slaughtered from a helicopter.

This deadly action is a brutal escalation of the state's war on wolves.

This Holiday Season, make a symbolic gift of a Wolf Adoption for you or another compassionate person in your life. Your gift will provide critical support for our legal, media and national grassroots campaign to save real wolves in Idaho and the Greater Yellowstone region.

As most of us prepared for the Thanksgiving holiday, sharpshooters firing from a helicopter carried out the death sentence of the Basin Butte pack [1] -- executing most members of the wolf family, including several 7-8 month-old pups.

This terrible news comes on the heels of Idaho extending its awful wolf hunt into the critical denning season[2] -- even as the state is over half way to its deadly goal of killing 220 wolves.[3]

Pregnant wolf mothers -- typically carrying up to six pups -- can now be targeted for death and any surviving newborn pups could face a slow death by starvation as key family members are killed.

Help save the lives of a real wolf moms and pups in Idaho and the Greater Yellowstone region by symbolically adopting a Wolf or a Wolf Mom and Pup.

For more than 35 years, Defenders has taken the lead to bring back wolves in the Greater Yellowstone and northern Rockies region. No other organization has a longer history -- or as much success -- in safeguarding these magnificent animals.

Right now we're...

Reaching millions with our powerful video ad playing in Times Square;

Demanding that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar immediately restore crucial federal protections for these wolves -- backed by nearly 100,000 signatures from caring supporters like you;

Being featured in influential media like the New York Times, Focus Earth with ABC's Bob Woodruff and regional news outlets like the Idaho Statesman; and

Fighting in court where a federal judge indicated that Defenders is likely to win our case to restore protections for wolves in the region.

Now, state officials have launched an aerial assault on wolves, escalating efforts to kill these amazing animals.

Help protect these wolves with your caring Wolf Adoption this Holiday Season. It's a great gift that gives back to the wolves and other wildlife that you and I care about.

Thanks for all you do to protect our wildlife and wild places.