In early August, two members of the Profanity Peak wolf pack were brutally gunned down by helicopter sharpshooters in northeast Washington. The fallen included the pack's matriarch, whose death could destroy this wolf family. In late August, four more wolves, including a four-month-old pup, were killed by sharpshooters on the ground.



The wolves were killed by the state on behalf of livestock operators who run their cattle on public land in wolf territory. The killings occurred after the pack was confirmed to have preyed on three calves and a cow and three other stock losses were deemed probable wolf kills.



There is strong science showing that killing a breeding animal like the Profanity Pack's matriarch may lead to a splintering of the pack and cause increased conflicts with livestock.



The Profanity Pack wolves were killed to satisfy the demands of a politically connected minority of cattle interests that want to operate America's public lands like a publicly subsidized feedlot.



All that remain are two adults and a few pups, yet the state has proclaimed it won't stop until these wolves are all dead and the Profanity Peak pack is no more. Take action -- tell Washington Governor Jay Inslee to stop the slaughter of the entire Profanity Peak wolf pack and to order that only non-lethal measures be used if further conflicts arise.

Dear Governor Inslee,I'm writing today to urge you to take immediate action and prevent the slaughter of any more members of the Profanity Peak wolf pack in northeast Washington. As you know, at least six members of this wolf family, including a four-month-old pup, already have been killed by helicopter gunners and snipers on the ground. These wolves were killed after they preyed on cattle grazing on public land in their territory. Given that the wolf pack's territory was well known, wolves are a state endangered species, and there had been some livestock-wolf conflicts with one of the same ranchers previously, it makes no sense to have put cattle out in the wolves' midst. Wolves prefer wild prey and, at the least, no cattle should have been placed here without there being multiple range riders already in place to monitor the cattle and keep them far away from the wolves'den and rendezvous sites where the pack's young pups are cared for. Instead cattle were set loose in an area only 4-5 miles from the pack's densite, and salt blocks were placed right near their rendezvous site, drawing the cattle into a predictable and avoidable conflict. Killing an endangered species and an iconic part of America's wild heritage simply for doing what comes naturally is unacceptable. After no more wolves could be killed from the air, your state wildlife agency switched to a ground operation, to hunt and shoot wolves on land and the agency is now attempting to kill this entire wolf family.Wolves are an integral part of the American landscape and were once hunted to the very brink of extinction. Now that they are returning, they shouldn't be killed simply to protect the interests of a small minority already profiting off the exploitation of America's public lands. Under Washington's wolf plan, the ranchers who had wolf-caused losses are not only eligible for taxpayer-funded compensation, they're eligible for double compensation because the state wolf plan allows that in instances where the livestock were grazing on areas greater than 100 acres in size. Ranchers get double compensation, but the public's wolves still lose their lives? That's not right. And using taxpayer-funded radio-collars that were placed on wolves to help conserve them to then track down those wolves and kill their family members? That's not right, either.Governor Inslee, you have the ability to do the right thing and order a permanent suspension of the killing of any more members of the Profanity Peak wolf pack. I urge you to do so.Sincerely,