Urge Interior Secretary Zinke to protect Alaska's bear, wolf, and coyote cubs from being unfairly hunted on public lands

Hibernating bears fair game? 

Alaska's National Preserves are wild and remote places where large carnivores like wolves and bears are valued by the public as important contributors to natural ecosystems. But President Trump has a different set of values — and a different idea of what "National Preserve" means.

If the Trump administration gets its way, Alaska's National Preserves will soon allow vicious carnivore killing methods like shooting wolf pups and bear cubs in their own dens.

Trump's National Park Service is proposing to repeal a 2015 Obama administration rule that banned extreme predator hunting practices in these National Preserves. They're accepting public comments through July 23 — we need your help to make a public outcry, block NPS's attempts to undermine this rule, and save Alaskan wildlife.

SPEAK UP FOR WILDLIFE TODAY: Call on Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to protect Alaska's bears, wolves, coyotes, and other native predators from being brutally hunted and killed on our public lands.

Wolf cubs in their dens fair game? 

If this rule is repealed, it will become legal to:

• Lure grizzly bears and black bears with bait so they can be shot point-blank
• Use dogs to hunt black bears
• Kill hibernating black bear mothers and cubs
• Slaughter wolves and coyotes and their pups during denning season, when the young animals are still dependent on their parents

Why? So that the state of Alaska can conduct "predator control" — a scientifically indefensible method of population control that involves killing off native carnivores to artificially boost populations of deer, moose, and other prey animals for hunters to shoot. Predator control is cruel and unethical, and it threatens the natural diversity of Alaska's wildlife and fragile ecosystems.

Tell Secretary Zinke to reject this misguided plan and uphold protections for Alaska's iconic wildlife.

Most Americans — including the majority of Alaskans — oppose these antiquated practices. In a recent survey, Alaskans opposed killing black bear mothers and cubs in their dens by a three-to-one margin. A supermajority opposed using dogs to hunt black bears, and 60% opposed bear baiting.

Revoking the rule could greatly harm Alaska's economy. Tourists who travel to Alaska to see its unique wildlife contribute nearly five times as much to the local economy as hunters each year.

Please, take a stand for Alaska's bears, wolves, and coyotes today. Send a message to Secretary Zinke now.

- Rhea Suh. President NRDC