Tell the Fish & Wildlife Service: Stop red wolves from going extinct!

There are no more than 20 red wolves left in the wild. Their conservation program has crumbled, leaving red wolf populations to plummet.

The species is facing extinction, and we need your help to pull them back from the brink.

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To the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:

I am writing to urge you to immediately take the steps necessary to prevent the extinction of the world’s only wild population of the endangered American red wolf. With fewer than 20 red wolves left in the wild population, it is imperative that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service act immediately to halt the extinction of the species in the wild.

The recent federal court ruling on January 21, 2021 required the agency to develop a plan by March 1, 2021 to resume the release of captive red wolves into the wild in the federally designated Red Wolf Recovery Area in eastern North Carolina.  Unfortunately, efforts have thus far not been substantial enough to bring red wolves back from the brink.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s recovery programs have been a global model for the successful reintroductions of endangered and threatened species. As such, the plan currently being developed to resume the release of captive red wolves should look to the successful history of the agency’s decades of implementation of recovery programs. There is no reason to delay, especially given that there are well-proven methods and practices for reintroduction and recovery. I implore you to take any and all necessary steps to ensure immediate conservation of the wild red wolf population.

For six years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided to pause releasing captive wolves into the wild population. Meanwhile, no wild pairs of red wolves have reproduced during the past two breeding seasons. The continued failure of the agency to resume successful conservation measures has violated not only public trust, but also the Endangered Species Act. Due to these failures, the risk of extinction for the wild red wolf is significant, and we request that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service do everything in its power to ensure the best chance of survival for any reintroduced wolves.  Additionally, steps must be taken to support reproduction in the wild, which is critical to stabilizing the population and providing opportunities to resume the practice of placing captive born pups into the wild.

Given this urgent situation, immediate action is needed to ensure a sustainable wild red wolf population in North Carolina and beyond. Specifically, I urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to incorporate the following into its reintroduction plan:

•	Introduce breeding pairs into the wild, which would increase the chances of reproduction and establishment of territories. 
•	Ensure that wolves from captivity are released as soon as possible during times of the year that will ensure the greatest chance of individual survivorship and reproduction.
•	Restart the coyote sterilization program and other strategies outlined in the Red Wolf Adaptive Management Program, which if implemented, would maintain viable genetics, which are crucial for the species’ long-term viability. 
•	Utilize the entire five-county recovery area, and work with state agencies to identify more lands that could function as habitat for red wolves.  
•	Protect wild red wolves from gunshot mortalities through sincere and expanded engagement with local communities, including education programs, local partnerships, and addressing any landowner concerns. A comprehensive and participatory approach to community outreach is essential to the success of red wolf recovery.

I urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take the steps necessary to prevent the extinction of the wild population of the endangered American red wolf.

Sincerely,
{user_data~First name} {user_data~Last name}
{user_data~City}, {user_data~State} {user_data~Postcode}

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