Earlier this month the Snow Moon rose quietly in the clear night sky and cast its lunar light across the land. Gazing at the hazy halo of light surrounding it, I couldn’t help but think of the symbiotic relationship between a new moon and wolves. Since wolves (and other species like the Barn Owl and the Luna Moth) are nocturnal, the pale lunar light helps them see across the landscape to find food and each other. In some Indigenous narratives the wolf howls the moon into existence. It’s reciprocity at a celestial level.  

As we kick off another year of connecting, learning, and advocacy, we’re looking forward to celebrating a milestone in our grassroots work – ten years of speaking for wolves!

10th Annual Speak for Wolves Conference: Save the Dates

You spoke, and we listened! Survey responses indicated a clear preference for an online conference again this year, in order to keep the conference inclusive and accessible to speakers and attendees.

We are thrilled to announce our 10th annual conference will be August 5th & 6th, 2023!

Stay tuned, this virtual gathering will be one for the books. 

Speak Out for Colorado’s Wolves by February 22nd

Colorado Parks & Wildlife just issued a draft of their Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan which sets the stage for introduced wolves to set paws on the ground by the end of 2023. 

Regardless of where you live, Colorado Parks & Wildlife wants to hear from you (yes, you!). Take a moment to share your thoughts on the first draft of their plan by submitting a comment by February 22nd. 

If you live in Denver, join fellow wolf advocates for an in-person public comment meeting on Wednesday, February 22nd. Click here for details. 

Looking for some inspiration on what to say? Check out these talking points from our friends at Rocky Mountain Wolf Project:

• The plan must explicitly close the door on any future wolf hunting by underscoring the fact that Colorado’s highest legislative body, the electors of Colorado, classified wolves as the “nongame wildlife of the species Canis lupus.” Such classification meant that voters clearly intended to prevent sport hunting of wolves in perpetuity. Surveys show that most Coloradans not only support wolf restoration, but they oppose trophy hunting and trapping of wolves.
• The plan fails to fully address the legal requirement to “assist owners of livestock in preventing and resolving conflicts between gray wolves and livestock.” The plan must clearly outline non-lethal deterrents and animal husbandry practices that the agency will use and encourage ranchers to use as the first line of defense to minimize conflicts between wolves and livestock.
• The plan should clearly tie receipt of compensation, after an initial incident, to implementing conflict reduction tools and strategies to prevent further depredation.
• Wolves are an essential aspect of our western heritage, and beyond their intrinsic value, are worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the people of Colorado.

Weigh in on Idaho’s Wolf Plan & Hunting Season

There are two public comment opportunities currently open in Idaho:

By February 22nd, comment on the Big Game Season Setting which is proposed to allow year-round wolf hunting in some units, allow additional hunting methods, and extend the season for wolf trapping in many units.

By March 6th, comment on the draft 6-year Gray Wolf Management Plan, which aims to decrease the population of wolves in the state by 60%.

Another Oregon Wolf Killed Illegally, Reward Offered

Last December a collared gray wolf, OR-103, was reported dead near Upper Klamath Lake in Oregon. He was the 5th known poached wolf in 2022.

Speak for Wolves, along with the Oregon Wildlife Coalition and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) are collectively offering a $15,000 reward for anyone with information that leads to an arrest of the person or people involved in the killing. 

Oregon residents: contact your ODFW Commissioners and ask them:
What are they going to do to stop the poaching and protect wolves?

Speak for Wolves is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a GuideStar Silver seal of transparency. Donations are tax-deductible in the US: EIN: 46-2867294