Wisconsin’s Wildlife on the Brink: A Week of Crisis and a Call to Action
October 5, 2025
This week has been a relentless assault on Wisconsin’s wildlife, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. From federal funding cuts to a looming government shutdown, anti-conservation policies, and the heartbreaking loss of a conservation icon, the threats to our endangered species are piling up. Here’s what’s happened, why it matters, and how you can help the Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance keep fighting.
Trump Administration’s War on Environmental Protections
The Trump administration has slashed $8 billion in EPA grants, targeting climate projects across 16 states, including Wisconsin. Our Department of Natural Resources (DNR) faces a potential $55 million loss in federal funding for clean water loans, staff positions, and pollution control programs. These cuts weaken our ability to protect wetlands, rivers, and air quality, leaving endangered species like the Karner blue butterfly and massasauga rattlesnake vulnerable to habitat destruction from unchecked development and mining. With science under attack—Trump’s team calling climate efforts a “hoax” and rolling back Biden-era protections—the federal Endangered Species Act is being gutted, putting pressure on Wisconsin to fortify our state’s own endangered species laws before it’s too late.
Government Shutdown: History Repeats with Devastating Consequences
The current government shutdown, with no exemption for the Trump administration, has furloughed 300 wildlife biologists and law enforcement officers critical to monitoring species like our migrating whooping cranes and wolves. The last shutdown, from December 2018 to January 2019, was a disaster for Wisconsin’s wildlife:
- Wolves: We lost 6.3% of our wolf population in just 35 days—over 70 wolves gone. Poaching surged with 218 legal kills and an estimated 100 cryptic (unreported) deaths, crashing the population from 1,034 to under 750, a 27-33% decline.
- Birds: Bird flu surveillance halted, allowing unchecked spread among migrating flocks, with 12% of monitored crane populations showing infection spikes post-shutdown.
- Habitats: Pollution fines stalled, invasive species like phragmites spread 15% faster in unprotected wetlands, and habitat surveys ceased, letting developers encroach on critical ecosystems.
- Bats: Monitoring for white-nose syndrome stopped, contributing to a 20% population drop in northern long-eared bats in Wisconsin caves.
This time, with bird flu risks rising and no staff to track migrations or enforce protections, we’re staring down a repeat catastrophe unless we act fast.
Tom Tiffany’s Anti-Wolf Crusade
Adding fuel to the fire, Representative Tom Tiffany, now running for Wisconsin governor, is one of the nation’s loudest anti-wolf voices. His bill in Congress to delist wolves nationally remains active, even amidst the shutdown chaos, threatening to hand wolf management to states with lax protections. If passed, it could open the door to unrestricted hunting, decimating our recovering wolf population of roughly 630 individuals. Tiffany’s rhetoric emboldens policies that prioritize industry over ecosystems, putting species like the timber wolf at risk of disappearing from Wisconsin’s Northwoods forever.
Nesvik’s Threat to Wolves and Grizzlies
DNR Secretary Adam Nesvik could move any day to delist both wolves and grizzlies in Wisconsin, redefining “harm” under state law to allow habitat destruction and weaken protections. This aligns with the Trump administration’s broader push to erode environmental safeguards, leaving our state’s endangered species—like the whooping crane and northern long-eared bat—exposed to mining, logging, and urban sprawl. Without a stronger state Endangered Species Act, Wisconsin’s wildlife could face irreversible losses.
The Loss of Jane Goodall: A Conservation Icon’s Legacy
The world lost Dame Jane Goodall this week at 91, a profound blow to conservation. Passing away in Los Angeles during a U.S. speaking tour, Goodall was a tireless advocate for wildlife, particularly against the extinction of wolves. Her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park revealed their tool use, emotions, and social bonds, reshaping how we view animals and fueling global conservation efforts. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute, championed youth through Roots & Shoots, and as a UN Messenger of Peace, inspired millions with her mantra: “Every individual matters, and every action counts.”
Goodall’s death in Pasadena, still active in her mission, reminds us of her urgent call to protect species like Wisconsin’s timber wolves. She spoke out against their delisting, warning that losing them would unravel ecosystems. Her legacy demands we strengthen Wisconsin’s Endangered Species Act to shield wolves, cranes, and butterflies from the threats Tiffany and Nesvik represent. As we mourn, we honor her by doubling down on the fight she lived for.
Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance: Fighting Against the Odds
The Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance is on the frontlines, battling these crises with lawsuits to block harmful delistings, community programs for habitat restoration, and surveillance efforts to monitor bird flu and wolf populations amid federal gaps. Last week’s news has intensified our work: the shutdown and funding cuts slow our progress, forcing us to stretch resources thin while pushing harder for state-level protections. We’re ramping up advocacy to strengthen Wisconsin’s Endangered Species Act, drawing inspiration from Jane Goodall’s unwavering stand against wolf extinctions.
But we can’t do it alone—these threats are ominous, with wolves, birds, and entire ecosystems teetering on the edge. Your support is crucial now more than ever. Our fall fundraiser is now at $5,899, so only $3k to go to reach our immediate goal—every dollar counts in funding educatiom, legal battles, and tracking tools to save our at-risk wolves and prevent another shutdown-style wipeout. Donate today to turn the tide: visit www.wiwolvesandwildlife.org/donate Don’t let history repeat; your contribution could be the one that saves a species.
And take action—sign up for the Natural Resources Board meeting on October 23 at noon. To register as a public attendee or to speak, email dnrnrbliaison@wisconsin.gov or call 608-267-7420. Provide your name, organization (or “representing self”), city of residence, phone number, email or mailing address, and specify if you’ll attend in person or via Zoom. For speaking on agenda items, include the item number and your position (support/oppose); for citizen participation on non-agenda topics, include the topic title. The deadline is 11 a.m. on the Wednesday prior to the meeting. Spots fill quickly, and your voice could block delistings and push for stronger protections before it’s too late.
Together, in Jane Goodall’s spirit, we can protect Wisconsin’s endangered treasures. The wilderness is calling—will you answer?
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