DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE: WILL THERE BE ANYTHING LEFT TO DEFEND?

Defenders of Wildlife: Will there be Anything Left to Defend?

Following the American Psychological Association Guidelines

Brooke Shortt

Salt Lake Community College

 DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE: WILL THERE BE ANYTHING LEFT TO DEFEND? 2

A new president in office means that there are many new changes to come and one

example is President Trump wanting to get rid of federal lands such as national parks across The

United States. Whether this is a good or bad decision though is a matter of opinion. I personally

dont support many of the changes taking place with Trump now in charge of running the

country and most of the decisions and actions that are happening honestly astound me. The

changes that infuriate me the most are the ones that are changing the environment. This is

because the environment, land, and animals that surround us dont get the option to decide what

we are going to do to them. I am one of many people that support groups and organizations

trying to protect our national parks and wildlife. One that specifically works towards protecting

the life with live amongst is Defender of Wildlife. Their goal is to protect and help the wildlife in

North America by promoting policies and solutions that defend wildlife and to fight changes that

are being made against it. (Mission)

At the beginning of 2017, the Republican representative from Alaska, Don Young,

proposed to repeal the laws protecting wolf cubs from being killed in their dens, the banning of

bears being shot from planes, using wire snares for traps, and using food as bate to get a point-

blank kill . (NBC) The Alaska National Wildlife Refuges Rule was a rule that became effective

in September of 2016. It places a ban on the non-subsistence take of wildlife on national wildlife

refuges in Alaska by using certain methods. It also regulates public participation and closure

procedures. The amendments made to the original rule did not change the Federal subsistence

regulations on fishing or taking of wildlife for subsistence use. (Federal). Young defended the

proposal by saying that the federal law protecting the wildlife was against Alaskas state rights to

control the wildlife population. Without these methods of hunting it was supposedly endangering

the survival of Alaskas inhabitants and could lead to overpopulation of the animals. (Mission)
 DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE: WILL THERE BE ANYTHING LEFT TO DEFEND? 3

Defenders of Wildlife work to protect the wildlife and the habitats they live in by holding

government agencies accountable for what actions they take to regulate the population and land.

They enforce natural resource laws, protect land from development interests, and ensure the

safety of endangered and threatened species. (Conservation) Since the amendments were

overturned Defenders of Wildlife still have some say in what can be done to the animals in

danger. In 2015, the wolf population had drastically declined in Denali which meant the wolf

population was being threatened. (NBC) Although this is a negative consequence from hunting it

allows for some positive actions to be taken to stop the decline and hopefully replenish the

population.

Ill start with the possible positive outcomes from Youngs proposal since in my opinion

there is less. Alaska has an abundant wildlife population and it is necessary for hunting

regulations to take place in order to control it. Many of the animals being hunted can be a threat

to humans and therefore it is better if they are designated to certain areas. (NBC) The negative

consequences are far greater and more impactful. After the amendment creating more protection

for the wildlife was passed there had not been any significant negative consequences and the

animal population was still controlled. Although it has only been a few months since it was

passed the potential good that could come out of it was stopped and we did not have enough time

to see what the long-term outcomes could have been. The animals populations will continue to

decline and theyll have the potential to decrease to the point where it cant be helped and they

will become endangered.

Of all the things I do not support happening in our government the laws and regulations

that are threatening the environment infuriate me the most. I do not disagree that animal
 DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE: WILL THERE BE ANYTHING LEFT TO DEFEND? 4

population needs to be regulated but it is unnecessary and cruel to allow certain practices that

harm them in abundance.

References
 DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE: WILL THERE BE ANYTHING LEFT TO DEFEND? 5

Cite 1: Mission and Vision. (2012). Retrieved March 22, 2017, from

http://www.defenders.org/mission-and-vision\

Cite 2: SHANKAR, D. (2017, February 18). FEB 18 2017, 1:40 PM ET House Overturns

Obama-Era Law to Protect Alaskan Bears and Wolves. Retrieved March 22, 2017, from

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/house-overturns-obama-era-law-protect-alaskan-bears-

wolves-n722481

Cite 3: Fish and Wildlife Service. (2016, August 5). Non-Subsistence Take of Wildlife, and

Public Participation and Closure Procedures, on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska. Retrieved

March 22, 2017, from https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/08/05/2016-18117/non-

subsistence-take-of-wildlife-and-public-participation-and-closure-procedures-on-national

Cite 4: Defenders of Wildlife. (n.d.). Conservation Law. Retrieved March 22, 2017, from Cite 4:

http://www.defenders.org/courts/conservation-law