Defenders of Wildlife Petitions Interior Department to Halt Alaska Aerial Wolf Kills

Petition Filed Under the Federal Airborne Hunting Act

(02/09/2004) - WASHINGTON, DC -- Today Defenders of Wildlife submitted a petition to Secretary of Interior Gale Norton requesting that she issue regulations clarifying that the Federal Airborne Hunting Act does not allow the use of aircraft to kill wolves for the purpose of boosting game populations. The petition was generated in response to the recent issuance of permits by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to private hunters that would allow them to kill wolves from airplanes in an area about three times the size of Yellowstone National Park. The permits are part of an Alaska program that the state hopes will artificially increase moose populations for hunters.

"Governor Murkowski and the Alaska state legislature have resumed the practice of hunting wolves from airplanes despite the fact that voters in the state have twice passed ballot initiatives banning the practice," said Joel Bennett, Defenders of Wildlife Alaska spokesperson.  "Our efforts to address this issue with Alaska’s leaders have fallen on deaf ears, leaving us no choice but to turn to the federal government for help."

The petition summarizes the legislative history of the Federal Airborne Hunting Act, which clearly demonstrates that killing predators to increase game populations is illegal under the Act. The Act was enacted in 1971 principally to curtail the airborne hunting of wolves in Alaska. The Act provides a limited exception for persons operating under the authority of a state "to administer or protect or aid in the administration or protection of land, water, wildlife, livestock, domesticated animals, human life or crops."

"The act clearly does not allow killing wolves to boost prey populations or for sport hunting," Bennett said. "We believe that the Alaska aerial wolf control program is therefore illegal and should be halted immediately."

Defenders believes that the request for clarifying regulations will be viewed favorably by Secretary Norton, not only because of the legislative history, but also because of previous statements made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that validate this aspect of the Act.

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Defenders of Wildlife is a leading nonprofit conservation organization recognized as one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. With more than 450,000 members and supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is an effective leader on environmental issues. For timely information on environmental issues, visit www.defenders.org and subscribe to DENLines, a free e-mail alert newsletter.

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Contact(s):

Brad DeVries, (202) 772-0237
William Lutz, (202) 772-0269