The Mexican wolf.. Photo: Jeffrey St. Clair.

The ongoing wolf slaughter in the Northern Rockies, the return of the gray wolves in California at dangerous reintroduction of wolves on the western slope of Colorado, and the ongoing debates are over warding off the gray wolves of the Endangered Species List underscores a fundamental divide: The American public overwhelmingly supports protecting wild carnivores, yet many wildlife agencies remain stuck in a bygone era of eradication and control.

A recent one national survey led by Project Coyote and Colorado State University’s Animal-Human Policy Center highlights this disconnect between how the public values ​​wildlife versus how policymakers manage wildlife—leaving wolves and other misunderstood species like coyotes, foxes and lynx vulnerable to outdated practices that defy public sentiment. and scientific understanding.

Wolves, systematically driven from the American landscape by government-sponsored eradication campaigns (often to make way for cattle), were nearly exterminated in the 1970s. Then came the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, which offered wolves and other endangered species a thin lifeline. Landmark efforts, such as the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone in the mid-1990s, proved that the species could make a comeback when given a chance. Yet half a century later, wolves and other carnivores are still routinely subjected to unscientific and inhumane treatment.

Despite some policy progress, the grim reality remains: In many states, wolves and other “non-game” carnivores, including coyotes, foxes and bobcats, face unregulated killing year-round, even during critical seasons of reproduction. Unlike deer and elk, which are managed with regulated hunting seasons, wolves and other wild carnivores are often hunted without limit or mercy, subject to “predator strikes” in states like Wyoming, Montana and Idaho—a grotesque practice that involves the use of vehicles motorized. to shoot down animals in the wild. Recent legislation in Wyoming aims not to ban this brutality but to codify it in lawexposing the shocking indifference of some MPs to animal cruelty.

This unbridled brutality spurred bipartisan action. The Snowmobiles are not Gun Lawnow pending, seeks to end the practice of using motorized vehicles to kill wolves and coyotes on federal lands. The public’s resounding support for these protections is reflected in the our survey of US residents on their views on wildlife killing practices. The results show that more than 80% of Americans want limits on the killing of wild carnivores, including a ban on intentionally running over wild carnivores with vehicles, and 81.7% support a ban on wildlife killing contests. However, state policies remain shockingly regressive, clinging to practices that prioritize agricultural interests over ecological balance and ethical treatment.

Wyoming attempts to enshrine “predator strikes” into law, along with federal agencies lethal control programsreveals the growing disconnect between public opinion and official policy. Recent federal moves to strip wolves of ESA protections further underlines the need for urgent wildlife management reform.

In response to increasing pressure, some states have restricted the recreational killing of wild carnivores, including ten states that have banned wild animal killing contests. While these steps are critical, they remain insufficient. Systemic reform is essential to prevent future tragedies like the Cody Roberts wolf torture incident and to ensure the ethical treatment of all wild animals.

Our treatment of wolves, coyotes and other wild carnivores reflects how we value the natural world. As Americans increasingly rally behind the protection of wild carnivores, wildlife agencies must move beyond the outdated and cruel practices of the past and align our policies with the public’s demand for humane treatment and ecological balance.