Letter to the Hon. Ryan Zinke, Secretary of the Interior - Hunting Practices in National Preserves

Letter

Dear Secretary Zinke,

I write in strong opposition to the National Park Service's recent announcement to repeal the rule that bans aggressive predatory control tactics in national preserves in Alaska. Repealing these rules allows hunters to use extreme and inhumane hunting practices that will upset the balance of Alaska's delicate ecosystem.

Upending the 2015 rule will allow hunting practices such as, killing wolf pups and their mothers at or in their dens; killing brown bears over bait; and scouting grizzly bears from planes and helicopters and shooting them from the air.

Rolling back this rule permits "predator control" activities on public lands. These regulations were made by professional wildlife managers and are consistent with science-based wildlife management practices. There are reams of scientific studies, from Alaska and across the country, documenting the evolutionary importance of top-level predators to ecosystem balance and function, while finding significant negative impacts on ecological systems from predator control and few, if any, benefits for prey populations.

The National Park Service's repeal of these rules shows a lack of concern for wildlife conservation and preserving our nation's unique native species critical to maintaining a balanced ecosystem. It is the National Park Service's responsibility to ensure refuge for these animals from barbaric hunting practices on federal lands. I urge you to withdraw the National Park Service's proposed rule immediately and reinstate the 2015 rule.

Sincerely,

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