Protecting Wisconsin from Gray Wolves
In 2022, gray wolves were relisted under the Endangered Species Act in a misguided and not-backed-by-science federal effort to increase their populations. However, a report by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources found that there are over 1,000 wolves in Wisconsin – well above the state’s population goal of 350.
There is no question that the gray wolf population is inflated in Wisconsin. The population spike has had catastrophic effects on our state with wolves attacking farmers’ livestock and families’ household pets, and shrinking deer and other wildlife populations.
There was a time where we needed to protect and recover the gray wolf, but now we are well beyond a manageable population in Wisconsin. That is why I joined my colleagues in introducing the Trust the Science Act, which passed the House with bipartisan support last week, to remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List and return population regulations back to those who know best – the individual states.
Wisconsin’s farmers should be able to protect their livestock and hunters should be able to carry out their role as effective and responsible stewards of wildlife without federal government overreach. I’m proud to see the Trust the Science Act pass out of the House and hope to see it make its way through the Senate and to President Biden’s desk so we can return to responsible, scientifically backed wildlife conservation policy.
Sincerely,
Rep. Derrick Van Orden
Serving Wisconsin's Third District
