Running over wildlife with snowmobiles should be illegal

To you, and to the average citizen, running over coyotes and wolves with a snowmobile sounds inhumane, barbaric, and just plain cruel. But unfortunately, this practice is legal in Wyoming and Idaho (wolves and coyotes), and Montana (just coyotes), where wildlife policy is stacked against wild carnivores. If wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains received the federal Endangered Species Act protections they deserve, Cody Roberts wouldn’t have felt emboldened to commit the heinous act of running over a yearling wolf before further torturing her in a bar and finally killing her.  Unfortunately, even if wolves are relisted to the Endangered Species Act (which is essential to prevent decades of conservation work from being undone, and why we’re suing the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service), it would still be legal to run over coyotes with snowmobiles and other motorized vehicles. Therefore, we’ve joined the Center for Biological Diversity and other groups in calling on the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to ban the use of snowmobiles or other vehicles to run down wolves and other wildlife.  This practice is utterly barbaric, and one would think that banning it would be straightforward. However, both Wyoming and Montana had the opportunity to prohibit this practice in 2019 and FAILED to do so.Learn more about “Coyote Whacking” from wildlife filmmaker and Project Coyote Ambassador, Felipe DeAndrade. WARNING: Sensitive content. It’s high time to hold wildlife policymakers accountable. They are failing wildlife. They are failing all of us. Thank you for standing with us to show Wyoming, and the rest of the country, that we will not allow wolves, coyotes, or any wild animals to be legally tortured. Last week, the Wyoming Fish and Game Commission convened and heard impassioned testimony from wildlife advocates across the country regarding the disturbing Cody Roberts’ incident. Many individuals urged the Commission to support a ban of “whacking.” We MUST continue this call to end egregious practices like “whacking” and create a more compassionate world where wolves are safe from all persecution and inhumane practices and policies.  Stay loud and join us in demanding justice and stronger protections for wolves, coyotes, and all wild carnivores. Here’s how you can create a safer future for wild lives: If you haven’t already, sign this change.org petition calling on Sublette County officials to bring more severe charges against Cody Roberts.Contact Wyoming State officials urging harsher punishments for Cody Roberts and strengthened protections for Wyoming wolves and coyotes—including banning “whacking.” Please remember to be polite and respectful in your comment.Call 307-777-7434 for Governor Mark GordonCall 307-777-4600 for WY Game & Fish Department Director Brian NesvickSample script:Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I’m from [Your City]. I’m calling to express my deep concern over the recent incident where a wolf was chased by a snowmobile, run over and injured, and then publicly paraded and tortured before being killed by Cody Roberts. This unethical and brutal display of animal cruelty was met with a mere $250 penalty, tarnishing the reputation of the state of Wyoming. The $250 penalty for Mr. Roberts’ inhumane treatment of a wild animal is not sufficient— and he must be charged with animal cruelty to ensure that justice is served, and to set the precedent that these heinous acts will be met with harsh consequences. I also strongly urge you to support legislative action to ban wolf & coyote “whacking.” The use of snowmobiles and other motorized vehicles to chase and down and kill wolves and coyotes goes far beyond practices of fair-chase and is purely cruel and inhuman; it must end. Please take action to ensure this never happens again. Thank you.Support our efforts to sue USFWS over their negligence in not relisting Northern Rocky Mountain wolves to the Endangered Species Act and our ongoing litigation in Montana in defense of wolves by donating today or monthly. It’s high time to hold wildlife policymakers accountable. They are failing wildlife. They are failing all of us. Thank you for standing with us to show Wyoming, and the rest of the country, that we will not allow wolves, coyotes, or any wild animals to be legally tortured.For The Wild Ones,Carnivore Conservation DirectorP.S. Please share this email or our social media posts about this issue to ensure widespread support and continued momentum in this fight for justice.