In the history of western civilization, no animal has been as systematically vilified as the wolf. Neither spider nor snake, bat nor rat, nor shark of any kind, can make this claim.
What do sage grouse, wolves, and burying beetles have to do with politics? A lot when we look at how decisions to protect or not protect these species have gotten tied into political debates.
A group of 70 scientists and scholars released an open letter this week calling for the continued protection of gray wolves in the Great Lakes and beyond.
A new report surveyed 7,000 scientists in 4 different agencies, NOAA, FDA, CDC and the Fish and Wildlife Service and the results were troubling. Of the scientists surveyed at Fish and Wildlife, 72% believe that too much consideration was given to political interests at their agency, and 47% of agency scientists believe industry interference in agency decision-making is concerning, the highest percentages of any other government agency surveyed.
Representative Don Beyer (D-VA8) has received more than 2,000 letters from constituents about the possible delisting of gray wolves under the Endangered Species Act. In fact, he says he has received more letters on this issue than almost everything else combined: