Breaking News! Petition Asks to Protect Wolves Under WI Endangered & Threatened Species List

GLWA Champions Public Interest in Wildlife Management

---

Wisconsin Conservationists Urge State-Level Protection for Gray Wolves

June 11th 2025 – Madison, WI Wisconsin residents submitted a petition urging the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to list the gray wolf (Canis lupus) as an endangered or threatened species under the Wisconsin Endangered Species Act (WETSA) immediately and throughout the required federal post-delisting monitoring period.  The petition, endorsed by community leaders including petitioners Melissa Smith, Stacy Gilson of Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance and senior scientist Don Smith, calls for robust, science-based management and enhanced regulatory oversight of this ecologically critical species. But they didn’t stop there. The petition also offers solutions to funding and policy for all endangered resource

“It is unfair and unethical to drop the responsibility of wolf conservation onto Wisconsin DNR or endangered resources without providing solutions for funding and personnel. Effective management requires an interdisciplinary scientific review and a commitment to long-term support. The bipartisan engagement of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL), including Wisconsin legislators, underscores the urgent need for proactive solutions. Nature’s Nest Egg offers a path forward at a time of crisis, providing innovative funding models when endangered resources have historically been critically underfunded. We have worked to demonstrate the clear economics of protecting keystone species—not just as an environmental necessity, but as a strategic investment in Wisconsin’s future.This also gives farmers all the tools available if needed in the rare chance they have conflict with a wolf.” Said Melissa Smith

A Science-Driven Call for Action

At a time when federal policies are under increasing scrutiny, an open letter signed by nearly 3,500 doctors, scientists, and researchers warns that the Trump administration and Congress is waging a “wholesale assault on U.S. science.” According to the letter, this assault endangers public health, economic development, biodiversity, national security, and our nation’s scientific leadership. These concerns underscore the growing need for state-led initiatives that uphold the best available science. In Wisconsin, leaders believe state intervention is essential to protect the gray wolf—a keystone species that regulates deer populations, stimulates forest regeneration, and supports biodiversity across the region. The grey wolf is currently endangered in Wisconsin but both Congress and the Administration want to delist  seemingly illegally by returning a decision to 2020 which was overturned by the courts. 

With one-third of our nation’s wildlife at risk of extinction, and the impacts of climate change accelerating, the time is now to find new and better ways to protect our natural heritage. Innovations must be found, not only for the wildlife and the habitats upon which they depend, but also for the current and future human generations who are inextricably linked to the natural world. State endangered species laws are one tool that can be used to this end. The goal is to highlight what is and isn’t working across states and to spotlight innovative case studies of species recovery. Actions taken before a species becomes endangered can also save the lives of individual species, in addition to saving considerable money, time, and effort, stated  the organization and bipartisan National Ccaucus of Eniornmental Legislators in their new handbook on Endangered Species

Key Points from the Petition:

• Local Control and Science-Based Management:
  State-level protection would empower the Wisconsin DNR to set science-based population goals, enforce illegal killing, and secure critical wolf habitats. Such measures are seen as crucial in light of historic mismanagement—including the controversial 2021 wolf hunt that resulted in 218 wolves being killed in just 72 hours, exceeding quotas by 82%. The tribes quota was killed which was an assualt on treaty rights and frankly their culuter. 
• Boosting Funding and Research:
  A state listing would provide access to dedicated funding streams through mechanisms like the Endangered Resources Program, ensuring sustained investment in monitoring, habitat restoration, and non-lethal conflict mitigation. This approach is especially timely given recent federal budget cuts that have reduced the resources available for wildlife research and oversight.
• Integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge:
  The petition also highlights the importance of incorporating the perspectives of Wisconsin’s Ojibwe, Menominee, and Ho-Chunk Nations. Their deep cultural ties to the wolf and their Traditional Ecological Knowledge offer invaluable insights into sustainable management practices that complement modern scientific approaches.
• Ecological and Economic Benefits:
  Maintaining healthy wolf populations yields significant benefits: by regulating deer numbers, wolves help reduce risks of overgrazing, improve forest health, and lower the incidence of deer–vehicle collisions—a saving reportedly valued at over $10 million annually.

A Call for Unified Commitment

“Now, more than ever, we must make decisions that are rooted in science and informed by both local expertise and indigenous traditions,” said  Stacy Gilson, one of the petition’s lead supporters. “By taking control at the state level, Wisconsin can ensure that our wildlife management is both credible and adaptable, even in the face of federal uncertainties.This is how wolf management can stay in state hands with board public support and stop reckless hunts”

The petition urges the Wisconsin DNR, along with state legislators and relevant agencies, to adopt the proposed measures and protect gray wolves as vital contributors to Wisconsin’s natural legacy. As federal support for science faces unprecedented challenges, Wisconsin’s commitment to science-based policy and local stewardship will serve as an important model for conservation across the nation.

For more information about the petition or to schedule interviews, please contact:

Melissa Smith msmith@wiwolvesandwildlife.org

 Phone: 608.234.8860  |PO Box 259891 Madison, WI 53715

www.wiwolvesandwildlife.org

---

Guardians of the North: A New Era for Wisconsin Wolves

Every time federal safeguards wobble, the same story resurfaces—rushed hunts, silenced howls, profit-driven chaos. We refuse to let erratic politics dictate conservation.

Since February, our team has spent countless late nights, rigorous research, and tireless advocacy crafting a bipartisan, science-backed strategy for wolves in Wisconsin. We don’t just present concerns—we build solutions. Our executive director is fearless, leading an ambitious vision to stop wildlife and environmental degradation while ensuring the agency has the support it needs for real change.

This isn’t just about wolves—it’s about redefining conservation for future generations. For too long, hostility toward wolves has been normalized—codified in outdated policies that treat them as targets rather than as keystone species. And let’s be clear: there are not two sides to wolves. There are those working to reduce conflict, restore biodiversity, and secure a healthy future for our communities, and then there are those pushing for the bare minimum—an approach no other hunted species faces. That double standard is unacceptable, and it’s time to reset the narrative.

What makes us different is our unwavering commitment and the belief that real change emerges from the grassroots. We rely solely on small donations from many caring people like you to fuel exactly this kind of innovative, community-driven response—a response that will carry us forward should we get a hearing and beyond.

We know times are tight, but with your support, we win. To continue building this powerful grassroots movement, we must raise $50,000 by August 15th. Every contribution, no matter how modest, energizes our work, strengthens our collective voice, and brings us that much closer to safeguarding our wolves and our natural heritage.

---