Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance
For Immediate Release – December 1, 2025
Contact:
Melissa Smith
(608) 234‑8860
msmith@wiwolvesandwildlife.org

🚨 EMERGENCY: Trump Moves to Gut the Endangered Species Act
Wolves, Cranes, Clean Water, and Local Economies at Risk

MADISON, Wis. — The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is America’s most popular law: signed by Republican Richard Nixon in 1973, backed by both parties, loved by 90% of us today, and 99% successful at keeping species alive.
Now Trump is recycling the same 2018 rules that let oil companies, mining giants, pipeline builders, and logging operations write their own permission slips—no matter who or what gets destroyed.

“This isn’t reform—it’s a death sentence for America’s wildlife and the communities that depend on them,” said Melissa Smith, Executive Director of the Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance. “Trump’s rules hand the pen to polluters. We won’t let them write wolves, cranes, and clean water out of existence.”

❌ The Four Cuts to the ESA (Federal Register, Nov. 21, 2025)

Science Replaced by Profits – Agencies can deny protections if industry says it’s too costly.
Protections Stripped from Threatened Species – Newly listed wildlife left defenseless.
Federal Projects Get a Free Pass – Pipelines, mines, and highways escape scrutiny.
Climate Blindfold – Long‑term threats like climate change ignored.
These aren’t tweaks—they’re demolition. The rules clear the way for drilling, digging, logging, piping, and paving anywhere big donors want, with zero regulations between them and your backyard.

🌎 What’s at Stake for People
This law doesn’t just save wildlife—it saves YOU:
Clean drinking water for 40 million people around the Great Lakes
Wetlands that soak up floods and prevent billion‑dollar disasters
Healthy fish populations = real fishing jobs and food security
Pollinators for cherries, apples, blueberries, and cranberries
Billions in tourism dollars for small towns (birdwatchers, hunters, campers)
Clean air and carbon storage that fight climate chaos
In Wisconsin: gray wolves keep deer herds in check—saving farms from crop raids, cutting car crashes, and protecting grocery bills.
Across the country:
In New Hampshire, Atlantic salmon removals slashed flood insurance 30% and revived fishing towns.
In Alabama, Red Hills salamanders rerouted a mine, saving Mobile Bay’s oysters and shrimp boats.
In Texas, golden‑cheeked warblers locked up forests for tourism, pumping $2 billion into Hill Country weddings and flood‑proofing Austin roads.
In Indiana, clubshell mussels halted river dredging, boosting bass tournaments and a $17 million riverfront grant.

🐺 Special Alert on Gray Wolves
Right now the ESA forces states and industry to leave big wild areas alone so wolf pups survive. Trump’s rules erase critical habitat, let mining and logging costs trump science, and strip every backup protection the moment wolves get delisted again.
Without ESA protections, wolf pups won’t survive—and Wisconsin families will pay the price in crop losses, car crashes, and broken ecosystems

📅 Act Before December 22
We have just 21 days to flood the record with science‑backed comments. Federal Register comments aren’t social posts—they’re public records that demand substance, backed by science, and in your own words to count fully.
the Federal Register can be quick tricky because there are some requirements and taking your comment with more value than others
Want to go deeper?

Join our FREE Wildlife Wednesday Emergency Training
📅 Wednesday, December 3 – 6:00 PM Central
We’ll break down all four cuts, arm you with the strongest science‑based message, and show how the ESA saves human lives and local economies. Interactive Q&A included.
Sign up: http://www.wiwolvesandwildlife.org/training
(Recording drops December 4—but live is better for real‑time help.)

If the link isn’t working for you please put share

📰 GIVING TUESDAY • GIVE BACK TO THE PACK •

Dear Wildlife Defenders and Allies,

Dear Loyal Friends and Die-Hard Advocates of the Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance,

We see you—the ones who devour every blog post, who’ve stepped up time and again, and who know exactly why we’re in this fight. It’s Giving Tuesday, the kickoff to our very own Giving Week, and we’re calling on you with a straightforward, no-frills ask: help us rally 75 folks (maybe grab a friend or two along the way) to donate $100 each by Thursday noon. We’re at $895 now, and hitting $7,500 unlocks a double match on every gift—turning your support into twice the power for our wildlife wins. Share this on social media, fire up a buddy about how we’re still beating the odds, and remind them we’re doing it all on just one hundredth of one percent of what Hunter Nation pulled in today with their $7.8 million from five donors. Let’s show them how a pack like ours keeps winning with heart and hustle—$7,800 or more would be even sweeter!

On this Giving Tuesday, as the world turns its heart toward generosity and protection, we at the Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance stand unyielding in our commitment to the wild souls of our region—the wolves, the bears, the untamed spirits that deserve to roam free without fear of the hate and cruelty. We are the voice for non-consumptive users, animal welfare advocates, farmers, and everyday citizens who believe in coexistence, not conquest.

We’ve fought tooth and nail against misguided wolf management plans that pander to these egos, filing lawsuits and rallying communities to revoke policies that allow senseless slaughter. In Wisconsin, Michigan, and beyond, we’re the frontline defenders, exposing the cruelty and pushing for laws that prioritize life over trophies. We will never back down, never compromise, and never stop until every wolf howls safely under the moon.


And because this is your alliance too, we’re inviting every donor—no matter the amount—to our virtual Donor-Directed VIRTUAL Campaign plan meeting and HOWLIDAY Party on Saturday, December 13th, at 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m//Central Time. 

Join us to help shape our priorities, direct where funds go, and hear about our front-line victories, behind-the-scenes strategies, and bold plans for the unpredictable years ahead. To add some festive fun, we’ll have a Wolf Pack Story Share where you can pop on camera (or chat) to share your favorite wildlife encounter, pet wolf-lookalike pics, or even lead a group howl-along—think of it as our pack’s virtual campfire gathering. Plus, we’ll have a special guest: renowned wildlife photographer and wolf advocate  who’ll share exclusive stories and tips on capturing the magic of the wild without harm. We’ll send your invite link via email upon donation—get ready for laughs, inspiration, and real connection!

In a world where hate for the wild seems to drive policy, our love and fierce protection will prevail. Stay tuned for major updates this week on our latest actions against trophy hunting lobbies. Thank you in advance for standing with us—together, we’re an unbreakable force for the Great Lakes’ wildlife.

Just 75 people can donate $100 to make a true amazing difference for wildlife in Wisconsin including the endangered species that the Trump administration is trying to Force into Extinction

Please also note that you can share this blog—please share it all over social media, everywhere that you can, and show it multiple times per day. It’s also a way we want to make sure we’re getting more people in, and wouldn’t that be amazing? I think we can, I think we can—like the Little Engine That Could, chugging ahead with determination to build our movement stronger than ever.

With unbridled passion and resolve, 

http://www.wiwolvesandwildlife.org/donate