Dear Friends of Seacrest: We are reaching out to you with critical urgency relative to the issue of saving America's wild wolves. On Tuesday April 9th Seacrest received an urgent request from Montana wildlife biologist Jay Mallonee who has been studying and working to save wolves for over 20 years. He is out on the front lines with wolves and sees first hand the cruel unfair tactics that are destroying this important keystone species. He is urgently requesting Seacrest to help him gather 100,000 signatures on a petition that he has created to stop the sadistic torturous destruction of the wolves of Montana before the next hunting season coming up this fall.
PLEASE, PLEASE READ THE ATTACHED EMAIL FROM MR. MALLONEE AND OUR RESPONSE TO HIM. PLEASE SIGN HIS PETITON AND ALL OTHERS THAT YOU CAN FIND. ASK YOUR FRIENDS AND EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO SIGN AS WELL, AND THEIR FRIENDS, AND THEIR FRIENDS, AND THEIR FRIENDS....SO MANY OF YOU HAVE ASKED US “WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP SAVE THE WOLVES?” THIS IS A CHANCE FOR EVERYONE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. NOW LETS DO IT!!!!!! IT IS TIME FOR ACTIONS TO TAKE THE PLACE OF DISCUSSION. SO LET’S STOP COMPLAINING AND START A REVOLUTION, IF NEEDED, TO SAVE THE WOLVES. LETS IMPLEMENT OUR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS AND LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD!!! IT IS TIME THIS DESTRUCTIVE TOXIC NOXIOUS GREEDY POLITICAL GARBAGE IS GUNNED DOWN BY REAL AMERICANS WITH INTEGRITY, SOULS AND SPIRITS WHO CARE MORE FOR GOD'S CREATION AND IT'S SACRED IMPORTANCE TO OUR OWN SURVIVAL! PLEASE JOIN THIS MOVEMENT TO SAVE THE LAST OF MONTANA’S AND AMERICA'S WILD WOLVES!
Working to save America's wolves,
Cynthia and Wayne Watkins
Seacrest Wolf Preserve, Inc.
I am a wildlife biologist in Montana and have studied wolves here for over 20 years, including a 10-year study of the Fishtrap pack. I recently began a petition to end the hunting and trapping of these animals after publishing a review of the government’s wolf population data in a peer review scientific journal. I found that no science has been used by management agencies to justify their killing of hundreds of wolves every year. Because agencies do not know how many wolves are actually in Montana, this could be most of them. The petition is a short essay of what has been going on, along with my background and research. It contains links to the source material so that people can make an informed decision to sign to not. The goal is 100,000 signatures before the hunting season begins in the fall. Would it be possible for you to post a link to the petition on your web site?
This petition is noteworthy because it comes directly from the scientist who has done the research and who has been involved in wolf recovery since the beginning. Each signature is emailed directly to the designated officials in the petition. However, after the goal is reached, I will take all the signatures and comments to the capitol and present them to the Governor myself, in the presence of the media. Recently, the law has been changed so that hunters can now kill up to three wolves each and use electronic calls. As added incentive, out-of-state hunting fees have also been reduced. Although wolves are already trapped using leg holds as a part of hunting, two more bills are being considered that will allow the use of dead wolves to bait these traps. Please consider posting a link to the petition on your site. It will give the public an opportunity to view the facts about wolves in Montana and empower them to take action if they choose.
The link is: (copy and paste in your web browser)
http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-the-unjustified-killing-and-hunting-of-montana-s-wolves-use-science?utm_campaign=petition_created&utm_medium=email&utm_source=guides
Sincerely,
Jay Mallonee Wolf and Wildlife StudiesKalispell, MT http://www.wolfandwildlifestudies.com/
Dear Jay,
Our heart felt greetings to you from Seacrest Wolf Preserve. We were encouraged to hear from you and to learn of the position that you have taken to defend wolves as a Wildlife Biologist living in Montana. THANK GOD THERE ARE STILL SOME WILDLIFE SCIENTISTS OUT THERE WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE A STAND FOR THIS INCREDIBLE KEYSTONE SPECIES!!!
Seacrest Wolf Preserve is the largest wolf preserve in the southeastern part of the United States. We are a wildlife educational facility offering one of the rarest opportunities in the world for humans to see and learn about wolves up close and personal. Education is one of our last hopes left to raise the consciousness of humans and to build bridges of greater understanding and RESPECT to the natural world. As thousands of visitors each year journey through large natural habitats with Gray wolves they are presented with the most important scientific information about this amazing species. Scientific data is the content of our lectures. We feel by offering visitors this rare opportunity to see wolves up close and personal it will touch a place in their hearts that could not be touched otherwise and light fires, we pray, for conservation and preservation of the wolf.
For many years I have been passionately involved in wolf conservation and had a small part in the early 90's of being a voice to bring wolves back to Yellowstone by attending negotiations in Jackson Hole, WY. It changed my life! I have been with Doug Smith, Dr. Mark Johnson, Dave Meech, etc. at their gatherings a few years back at the Chico Hot Springs yearly workshops and was with Rick McIntyre in Lamar Valley in the summer of 2010. Also attended the World Wolf Congress in Banff, Canada in 2003 and many more Defenders of Wildlife and National Wildlife Federation events always hungry to gather and be exposed to the latest scientific data on the plight of wolves to retain a place in the lower 48, Alaska, Canada and the world.
It is appalling to see the continued, relentless persecution and slaughter of this profound wild animal entity and the greedy, destructive politics that empowers this cruel annihilation to continue. As the founders of Seacrest, my husband and I, the board members and the entire volunteer family have used our life forces on thousands of tours here at Seacrest to be a voice to speak for those that cannot speak for themselves. We can not adequately express our appreciation to you for contacting Seacrest relative to this issue. Certainly we will post this link to our website and on our Facebook page, asking all Americans who want to help preserve America's wildlife heritage to become part of this voice and to help keep what is left of the wild alive. Seacrest Wolf Preserve has already asked thousands to sign petitions requesting that wolves be relisted under the Endangered Species Act and to outlaw the cruel tactics of allowing electronic calls, which include pup vocalizations, which lure wolves out of protected areas like Yellowstone and cruel leg hold traps as part of the vicious and inhumane effort to kill wolves. It is unbelievable that in the civilized society of America that these barbaric tactics are legally implemented and enjoyed by Americans who call themselves decent human beings. The brutal truth is that we humans are the most cruel and destructive species on this planet! When will we realize that real power is not killing something just because we can, REAL POWER IS GIFTING IT WITH LIFE so it can do its job for America's wild ecosystems, planet earth and the better good of man kind. This brings to mind the quote of Robert Marshall who was the Wilderness Society founder " There is just one hope of repulsing the tyrannical ambition of civilization to conquer and destroy every niche of the whole earth. That hope is the organization of spirited people who will fight for the freedom of the wilderness." You are one of those great spirited people Mr. Mallonee and I know a few more like Doug Smith the head biologist of the Yellowstone Project. It never was "just a job" with him for I know personally that he loves and believes in the preservation of the wolf as you do. He has spent many hours off the clock through the years visiting ranchers homes building bridges of greater understanding for the wolves and the natural world and using scientific information to build respect as well.
Remembering all of the great ones whose voices for preservation rang out before ours, such as John Muir and many others, let us summon all spirited American people and others around the world to join this effort in implementing our democratic rights by uniting our voices through emails to our congressman and our president demanding the re-listing of wolves and signing this petition and others, as documentation of the desire of the American people to preserve the wolves of America for future generations and the ecological balance of our wild lands! We will be posting your request and our response on Facebook and our website in the effort to reach the thousands of Seacrest friends. I would personally love to be there with you in a supportive effort when you journey to the capital of Montana to present the signatures and comments to the Governor in the presence of the media. I know other conservationists from Colorado and other states that would love to be there as well. Please inform us if you are interested in our physical presence of unity at this event.
God Bless you for being a voice as a wildlife scientist living in Montana and please know that you have thousands of supporters out here standing with you to reach and surpass your goal of 100,000 signatures before the next hunting season and beyond.
Wolves and Wildlife Forever!
Cynthia & Wayne Watkins
Seacrest Wolf Preserve, Inc.
3449 Bonnett Pond Rd.Chipley, Fl. 32428
850-773-2897
DEAR FRIENDS THIS IS THE LATEST RESPONSE FROM JAY MALLONEE. LET'S KEEP SIGNING THIS PETITION!!!!!
Cynthia and Wayne,
Thank you for your spirited and supportive response. I am glad to hear that you are using science in your public tours. Not everyone does. I agree that the wolves should be relisted, mostly because of humanity's behavior. We have learned nothing, behaviorally, to justify delisting these animals. The greatest obstacle I have encountered so far is that very few people on this planet knows what goes on in Montana and the other wolf recovery states. It is so horrific that who would believe it. Nevertheless, getting the word out is the very first big step. So thank you for doing what you can to achieve this. I have contacted 60 wolf organizations and sanctuaries so far around the world. Only five or so, including you, have responded but they are also doing what they can.
On my web site are links to PDFs of the articles I have written for Actionline, the magazine for Friends of Animals (http://www.wolfandwildlifestudies.com/foa.php). They describe my research and fight to end the killing of wolves in Montana. Perhaps they can be of some use to you, especially the final one that just came out. It summarizes most everything that has been going on and pulls together how FWP really thinks. This article seems to be getting a good amount of attention because of this I think. I have enclosed it below. Anyway, all the articles, as well as my scientific papers, are downloadable PDFs that anyone can obtain. Thank you again for you concern and help.
Sincerely,
Jay
