Wild Life America

Updating Information

2007-11-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that we are in the process of updating Wolf Gardens Wildlife Center Information.

Please check with us regularly over the next few days.

Plan Of Action For Making Changes

2005-12-29T13:15:00.000-08:00

First Nations Outreach Project
Plan Of Action

The First Nations Outreach Project is one of the most diverse Non Profit organizations in the world.
Though diverse, it is also a focused organization.

Our efforts are indeed far looking and based on action rather than simply being a research organization.

In resolving the problems we face with our environment, eco-system, and wildlife issues we must develop educational programs which will reach to the core of the problems as well as resolutions to these problems. There are many organizations, which address the issues, few of them present solutions to the problems.

For the past nine years we have been rescuing captive bred wolves. We currently house 38 animals. Now with the life span of the endangered species act possibly meeting an untimely demise, we have moved forward to increase our efforts. Rescuing wildlife and rehabilitation alone will not correct this problem we have with endangered species.

Currently we have millions of acres of Public Lands that are leased to private individuals. This is land, which belongs to the people and should be used for the best interest of the people rather than for the best interest of a few private individuals.
We believe that if this land is reserved for wildlife buffer zones, then we will be able to protect not only our public lands, but the wildlife and their habitat that reside there.

It is obvious from the report issued by Secretary Norton that Nature Based Tourism bring far more funding to the public lands than the leasing of them to public individuals.

Our ideas are basic in nature and principle. We must educate the people about the state of their public lands, wildlife endangerment, damage to the land by private landowners, corporate pollution to public lands, government pollution of public lands, and how we can resolve these issues.

The ability to fight organizations like Farm Bureau requires funding which environmental and activist organizations do not possess and have little hope of establishing, or did until now.

By developing ideas, which help non-profit organizations, as well as for profit businesses based on nature, which is the fastest, growing area of economics in the world.

We for example are developing Wolf Gardens Wildlife Center. The Center will be a wildlife rescue, rehab, education and training center. It is centrally located to ten million potential visitors and could generate easily more than two million dollars each year.

Few organizations have the ability to generate funds to fight the big money we are faced with when we go against those companies such as Farm Bureau on the issue front lines.

Granted that this amount alone will not do the job against large companies, but the ability of a number of associated organizations with the same ability to generate funds will indeed make possible the funds needed to create change.

The First Nations Outreach Project has several areas of interest and are listed in no certain order.

Environmental Protection
Wildlife Protection
Human Rights
Eco-System
Habitat Protection
Civil Rights
Cultural Preservation
Natural Resource Preservation
Public Land Preservation

While in our opinion all of these things are inherently connected, each one is also an area with a great deal of complicated issues. All things are connected. This is the beliefs of most First Nations People. We seek to send forth Traditional Teachers to teach this and how we can change what has happened and is still happening, then we will find that this teaching will indeed join together many organizations which were not before connected, combining their efforts and bringing more effectiveness to their efforts.

We do not have all the answers, nor does any one person. The answers must come from many resources joined together rather than working autonomously on their own, the efforts of each affecting the efforts of others.

In order to save endangered species and species that are to become endangered, we must first protect their habitat. It will do little good to save endangered species if they have no habitat left for their survival.

In developing plans we must also realize that the execution of plans requires funding. Currently the funding for these issues is going basically to lobbying efforts. Has this been effective so far? No. Lobbyists have indeed gotten the ESA passed through the spending of millions of dollars and many years. Now we see the focused efforts on the destruction of the ESA. Will all that time and money become a waste? We hope not.

The cold truth is, we can not depend on Acts to do what needs to be done. We must find ways to prevent species from becoming endangered in the first place. We must find ways to protect the habitat. The only this will ever occur is if it is more financially beneficial to leave the wildlife and habitat as they are rather than to destroy it.

It is sad that our protection of the world we live on has come to a dollar value. It has and it will become worse as the demand for more land increases.

Our current progress rate will bring us to a point where there will no longer even be a place to go for a drive in the country, much less have public lands where we are able to protect wildlife.

For this reason we call for all organizations to join with us in our efforts.

We are a new non-profit organization, but we are not new at what we do.

Few people know what a grass roots organization truly is. I will tell you what they truly are. A grass roots organization is a group of people who are devoted to what they believe in to the point they go where they must go and do what must be done paying for it out of their own pockets with no funding from anyone. And this is how grass roots organizations are started. A few are able to grow and become effective on a large level.

We have moved to the next step. We have come to the understanding that we must grow in order to accomplish the things that must be done. Things we have no choice in changing if we are to survive the consumption of our world.

We need every single one of you. It will take each and every one of you. No effort is too small and no donation is too small.

If it is nothing other than sending our Blog to everyone that you know and asking them to do the same thing.

Don’t just ask them to send it on, explain to them in your own words why we must work together. Explain why it will take each of us to accomplish goals.

For those of you who are able to donate, I do not ask you to cease donating to Foundations who seek to change litigation, I just ask you to share your efforts in order to make the front line efforts as effective as the other efforts which are being made. I ask you to divide your donations between the litigation effort groups and us who are fighting to make change in areas where little litigation has even been discussed much less passed.

We can talk about making change or we can make change. Talking is important, but at some point, discussions must turn into action. Without action, discussion will die. How often have we seen this happen? How often have we been parts of discussion, which simply dies out and never developed?

If we are to make change, we must make this change quickly, we have little time left to put into motion the actions which will bring about permanent and long term change.

Only YOU can make change! YOU are the difference, which it will take to change the direction we are headed in.

We can make change fast, but we must start our education programs quickly, we must be able to train those who are hopeful front line workers.

To focus efforts in such a way will bring about tremendous momentum and success.

The call for action is sent out. The challenge issued.

If you can not donate, then host fundraising events for non-profits in your local area. Help to get the word out so it can be available to everyone possible.

Yes, I know that each local area has their own needs, I understand this. And many will say that making change on the local area is the way to success. Is it truly? If so, why has change not come already? Unless we make change world-wide, local changes will be lost in the tidal wave of destruction.

Jim Windwalker
http://firstnationsoutreach.org/
http://defendthewolves.org/

Michi

2005-11-11T15:30:00.000-08:00

The first time I met her I was not sure how she would respond to me. I knew that she had been abused by humans, but I was not sure to what degree and if she had any trust of humans left in her at all.

She had been taken to a veterinary clinic to be euthanized. The owner said she was unmanageable and a trouble maker.

The clinic had called us to ask if we would take her. We had no choice in the matter. How we would fair with Michi would depend a great deal on her, but no matter what her situation was, she would be given a permanent home.

She came to us in the back of a pickup truck. The owner had delivered her to us at the request of the clinic.

She came out of the back of the camper shell, stopped, and stood there looking at me with those deep yellow eyes. Eyes, which looked through you and into your spirit. Eyes that seemed to be able to size you up in a matter of seconds. She sniffed and lifted her head.

I waited looking back at her. She sniffed the air again and took a cautious step forward. I knelt and waited. She took another step forward and came closer. Her nose gently touched my hand and then she licked my hand.

I ran my hand over her face and she came closer to me. Our friendship was tentative to start with and she had to learn to trust me. Once she made that decision, it was permanent.

For almost eight years now, Michi has lived with us. She has joined me in giving many presentations, which have touched many hearts.

Often my heart skips a beat and tears come to my eyes as I think about what would have happened to my dear and beloved friend Michi had we not been able to provide her with a loving home.

I always get this same feeling now over the animals that we have not been able to save because we no longer have enough enclosures. But I will never stop working to create a situation which will make it possible for us to save every animal that may come our way.

Yes, it is often lonely on the front lines, but those of you who are there also, know the meaning of success and the feeling of gratitude for being able to make a real difference.

Thank each of you who have supported our efforts in every way that you have, and those who continue to do so.

And thank you Michi for being here with us and for loving us. No my friends, Michi is not a pet. She is a wolf. And she shall forever be a wolf, yet she has come to accept us as her pack and we have accepted her in the same manner. When her owner bought her, she was a cuddly tiny cub, then she grew up and he became frightened of her. This is so often the case.

Wolves do not belong in houses or enclosures. They belong free. Running wild and feeling the wind blowing in their faces.

But as long as people captive breed wolves and other wild animals for “fun and profit”, then there will always be the need to give them a home where they can live out the rest of their lives.

Through education, we work for the day when we will all understand that the real hope for wolves is restoring their habitat, educating people who have been misinformed and protecting our public lands, which shall forever be home to our wild friends.

Front Line Advocates Make the Real Difference

2005-11-11T14:57:00.000-08:00

Over the last year I have become amazed at the number of foundations who claim to be wildlife and environmental foundations who make grants to everyone other than those who are actually doing the front line work.

I am amazed that the quickest way to be denied funding is simply to be doing hands on frontline work.

If you are an organization, which has no actual dealings with issues other than hiring lobbyists, then you have an excellent chance for funding.

It seems to me that the foundations who are supposedly the largest founders are simply tax shelters looking for the good name yet seeking to do as little to change circumstances as possible.

Why am I surprised? I guess I am simply disappointed to find that the front line efforts of those who are actually doing the work are further hampered by those seeking merely to build a good name for themselves.

I have spoken with several other front line advocates on this subject. It seems they have run into the same situation. So few foundations out there actually want to be involved with people who go into the forests to make change, or rescue and rehab the animals that need it or fight the big corporations to stop pollution. So exactly what “good” is it they are doing with all those millions of dollars in “charitable” contributions? Buying lobbyists, who lobby for laws that get ignored, re-written to have as little impact as possible, or laws that are never to be enforced to start with as well as laws that are enforced in desired areas and ignored in other areas and simply make lobbyists a good living.

So where are the real environmental entrepreneurs? I know there are some, a very few who dedicate their funds to make real change. However, I am surprised to find that people who donate millions of dollars each year have no idea that real and lasting change comes from the frontlines up. Not from the opposite directions.

I have seen so many organizations out there trying to make change without ever having been even one time into the filed. They have developed “Great Ideas” sitting behind a desk without being totally apprised and informed as to what the real problems are. And this is how change will come? And the changes made are often as bad as the problems were to start with. Too little knowledge of the facts compounded by too little dedication needed to go into the field and find the real solutions.

So fellow front line advocates, I now understand why we always see each other in different places on different issues.

I understand the dedication of those who will go even if they have to walk. And these are the “radicals” people speak of when they refer to front liners. Not because they are radicals, but because they are not willing to just sit idly by and do nothing while people who have no real idea of what is happening much less what needs to be done waste away the precious time that we have and tie up the majority of the resources available.

Therefore, as we have done in the past, so shall we do in the future. We shall make the changes that must be made and we will do so despite the floundering of the rich and infamous.

See you front liners out there on the front lines. And I will do as we always do. I will share the warmth of my fire, what food I may have with me, and an extra blanket if someone has the need for one.

Most Beneficial Use of Public Lands

2005-10-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

Secretary of Interior Reports Economic Impact of National Wildlife Refuges

Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton on October 6 released a report that shows recreational use on national wildlife refuges generated almost $1.4 billion in total economic activity during the 2004 fiscal year. The report, Banking on Nature 2004: The Economic Benefits to Local Communities of National Wildlife Refuge Visitation, was compiled by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service economists.

Learn More http://www.fws.gov/refuges/policyMakers/BankingOnNature.html

Even if the cost of leasing permits were increased, the grazing use of public lanad can not generate the money that is generatied by recreational use of public lands.

If we were to return these grazing lands back to the wildlife Refuges they were intended to be to start with, the money generated through Nature Based Tourism would surpass even the money generated from the recreational use alone.

Nature Based Tourism on Public Lands would result in several hundred times the revenu of grazing permits and would not require the constant reperation of public land areas.

Pillaging America

2005-10-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

The Senate Energy Committee has voted to open Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

Republican Pete Domenici says, “"Opening ANWR is sound public policy that would serve the country well many years into the future"

Lets mine the coal from the land of the Dine’, Drill the for oil in the AANWR and take gold from the Black Hills. Pillaging Americas Natural Resources is not what the “People” of America want. Nor is it in their best interest.

It is in the best interest of those who wish and have wished for long years to fill their pockets with fortunes stolen from the people of America.

They tell us this is the only way we can live. Yet they have over the years prevented several viable optional fuel sources, which would have taken the profit flow from the pockets of the auto and petroleum industries pirating executives, from being brought to fruition.

So Americans, lets sit like knots on a log while we are being robbed and do nothing. Lets allow the thieves dressed in political clothing to take what belongs to our grandchildren and allow them to industrialize our Nations Parks and all other protected Pub Lands. Lets allow them to lie to us in order to make themselves wealthy. They seem to think we are to ignorant to notice, shall we prove them correct?

I for one do not believe that we should sit idly by. It is not in our best interest to do nothing.

If we allow this to happen, we can say goodbye to the America that we all love so much. Talk a long last look at the National Forests as you drive through them. Their numbers are up. Soon they will be barren clear cut land. Soon the only wildlife in America will be in zoos, wildlife refuges or stuffed in museums.

Do we Americans truly hold nothing other than the dollar sacred any more?

Do we now simply bow the great green god of greed and say take it all?

There is no lie that can be told which will justify what is happening now.

If we sit idly by and allow this to happen, then we deserve to have nothing. If we are not willing to protect the things that we hold dear and sacred, then we do not serve to have them. If we do not raise our voices in a resounding cry of anger right now before it is too late, if it is not too late already. If the oil rigs are not already moved into the ANWR, then we will never again see America as it is seen right now.

The Senate Energy committee does not have control over the Public Lands of America. This land is controlled by the BLM. So who indeed is in charge of what in Washington? Or is there anyone who still actually knows the answer to that question?

Jim Windwalker

Yellowstone Bison Herds still being slaughtered.

2005-10-17T11:01:00.000-07:00

Yellowstone National Park Bison that stray from the park in winter are routinely rounded up and sent to slaughter by agents of Montana's Department of Livestock, who fear the migrating animals will transmit the disease brucellosis to cattle, despite the federal Department of Agriculture's urging that this is unlikely.

This causes me to have a number of questions. The first Being,” When was the Bison herd tested for brucellosis and who did the testing?”

While the Bison were being tested were they vaccinated as well?

Where did the Bison contact brucellosis?

It would be obvious that had the cattle ranchers not infected the Bison herds with brucellosis by exposing them to infected cattle, there would not be an existing brucellosis problem among the Bison.

What percentage of the Bison herd is infected with brucellosis?

When the Bison are rounded up and killed, are only infected animals killed?

Why is the endangered species act not being enforced concerning the Bison?
Are the Bison being killed on private lands or on public lands leased by ranchers?

Are the “threatened” cattle ranging on private land or on public lands leased by ranchers?

It seems that the only interest being considered in this situation are those of the ranchers.

Since it is most probably that the Bison(if indeed they are infected) were infected by the cattle grazing on public lands, then it would be the responsibility of the ranchers to pay for the vaccination program to begin to eradicate brucellosis in the Bison herd.

Rather than killing the buffalo the migrating buffalo should instead be tested and vaccinated for brucellosis. Since the limitations on the market are for the sale of infected cattle and the buffalo will not be sold, then it is more than in the best interest of the Buffalo and the People of the United States who indeed would prefer to have Buffalo roaming on our public lands than cattle, for the vaccination program to be in place.

The ultimate solution would be to get the brucellosis problem in Bison (if indeed there is one) under control and remove the cattle of private ranchers from the Public Lands which belong the all of us. This would prevent the possibility of future re-infection of our Bison herd.

Petroleum Price Hikes

2005-10-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

Due to the enormous amount of gripes and bellyaching by disgruntled Americans who are sick and tired of being robbed at the gas pumps, Petroleum Companies have decided to hike gas prices by another twenty-five percent.

When asked how they felt about the price increase, petroleum executives stated that Americans should be happy they have gas.

Many citizens feel the gas prices already in excess are way out of line. Many vow to get gas-x and beat the gas problem.

Petroleum Companies however are not concerned about any resistance from Americans over gas prices. Americans only gripe they never act stated one Petroleum Executive.

Senate and Congressional Seats for sale

2005-10-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

If you are a major corperation who would like to influence laws made concerning poloution, environmental protection and wildlife violation restrictions, then the proccess is simple. You just buy as many Congressional and Senate seats as possible.

In this day and time the ammount of seats available are restricted only by your ready cash flow.

So step up and join the American Dream, buy a politician.

This is actually a good investment since the people of the United States no longer matter to politicians, which are duly elected to represent the interests of the people rather than the interests of the corperations. Since people vote rather than coprperations, political seat investment is the most viable resaloution to the long term problem.

Larger companies who have no intentions of obeying any environmental laws should also consider buying a President and Vice-President package as well, at an additional fee of course.

Once you have purchased your Senate, Congressional and or President and Vice- President package, your corperation can breath freely once more. Or at least breath as freely as possible through the filters of gas masks which are now required to breath air in the United States. Oh well, gas masks are a small sacrifice when you consider the enormous profits available from the harvesting of all national resources.

It may be in the interests of some larger corperations to buy the complete package with the Homeland Security options which allow you to have your opposition and loud mouthed citizens arrested or assassinated.

Remember, the bottom line is profit, profit, profit, no matter what the cost nor who has to pay it, as long as it is not your Corperation.

Theft of National Parks and Public Land

2005-10-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

I find it appalling that elected officials who are supposed to represent the people of this country have become so blatant with their disloyalty that they openly defy the wishes of the people and turn over our Public Lands to private corporations.

Richard Pombo, (R-Calif.) had decided that we no longer need our National Parks and Public Lands and desires to sell them off. Richard W. Pombo , who has sought to revamp the Endangered Species Act for more than a decade, said “the bill would make the landmark 32-year-old law more effective”. And he would like us to believe this is going to work how? I see we are going to sell off our public lands in order to save species which will then have no habitat to remain on. And the saved species will live where Mr. Pombo? On ranch land? On timber land that has been clear cut by your logging friends?
Destroy the habitat, destroy the animals. There are absolutely no improvements to the endangered species act that can save or prevent any species from becoming extinct which does not include the protection of habitat.

It would seem that any moron would know that, however it seems that there is at least one moron who does not know that.

It is all about money. It is not about money for the people of this country, it is about money for big business interests. Our once loved and cherished National Parks, one of Americas greatest treasures and resources will be destroyed by oil companies, mining interests and logging operations, as well as cattle barons who already control Public Lands which they should not control.

There are those who would sell out America to the highest bidder. Pombo is one of those. In my opinion this man is nothing more than a land pirate who seeks to use his time in office as a means to stuff his pocket with the resources of our National Parks.

He obviously has neither interest nor concern for neither the endangered species nor the people of this country. His singular concern is his own undying greed for profit. This is a criminal act and should be prosecuted as such.

Until We The People of America come to understand that our National Park Ranges must be forever protected, then we are in the race for the end of our wilderness resources.

These forests are not just standing timber. They are required to provide clean air for us to breath. They are all that stand between us and Pombo and his corporate cronies who pump our air full of pollution and then chop down the trees which are required to filter the air.

Call me a tree hugger if you please, but even grade school students are aware of the photosynthesis cycle and the importance of this function to our live. The problem is that people like Pombo simply do not care.

The Absence Of Predators

2005-10-11T17:08:00.000-07:00

I would like to address something that I really think needs to be addressed.
In making wildlife management decisions, often the people responsible for making the decisions are the ones with the least knowledge and experience with wildlife.

We have long since either eradicated or reduced the ability of predators to do their part to control our eco system.

Man as a predator is far from being effective and will eventually if left to his current applications, destroy all wildlife.

Man predates from the top down. This allows the lower side of the gene pool to breed without competition. The stronger animals are killed the weaker ones find no resistance to their place in the ranks.

This leads to a reduction in disease resistance, Animal size is reduced, mortality rates become volatile and the entire eco-system is effected by any individual species in the same way. Population explosions occur, over feeding on the eco-system deprives other animals of needed food and thus it goes .

No predator at all has the very same effect as the scenario above. With no natural predators and no hunting at all, everything still dies. Ultimately both have a devastating effect on the eco-system.

If man is not going to allow predators to keep the weak animals out of the gene pool and stimulate competition for breeding ranks among herding animals, then he can expect to see the eventual demise of all of our wildlife. It is only a matter of time.

With man as the primary predator, he must learn to predate from the bottom up. Trophy hunting is not the answer to the issues at hand, nor are there viable arguments to validate management ideas that do not conform to nature.

Wolf Hunting and Leasing of Public Land

2005-09-29T19:21:00.000-07:00

As promised a while back I am presenting my ideas on how we can control certain areas which many of us feel need desperate work.

The first area I am going to deal with is the Aerial Hunting in Alaska.

My take is this.
Wolf hunting is prohibited by the endangered species act, and even if the Gray Wolf is de-listed it will only be lowered to protected which still prevents the hunting aspect.
The endangered species act only prevents hunting in the lower 48 states.

The U.S. Constitution guarantees equal protection under the law. With this guarantee comes the argument that equal protection also requires equal responsibility under the law. If Alaska is to be a full state, then it must be required to observe ALL the laws of the United States. Otherwise those of us who live in other states and are paying taxes (part of which will go to Alaska for programs, education, etc) will be un-equally protected. Therefore an injunction filed on these arguments can halt the hunting of wolves until such time that this argument can be fought all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if needs be. Will it cost money? Yes, it will, and money well spent. Anyone up to the challenge? We shall see.

The second area is similar. The leasing of Public Lands to private landowners.

Public Land is land owned by the people. Do we want to lease our land to private landowners to raise their own cattle for their own profit? I for one do not. Especially since NO money is sent back in to repair the damage that their cattle and fencing does to the land. I would prefer that the Public Land be used as a Wildlife Buffer Zone and be opened to public use. It is our land, let’s use it.

Again, an injunction can indeed stop the leasing of all Public Lands to private Landowners.

Of all the money we spend for lobbyists to lobby for new laws, I believe there is a far more effective way to spend that money. If we are going to spend millions of dollars, lets spend it in the right place and cut out the middle man who has no interest in winning or losing.

Simply put, we can resolve these issues in court much easier than hoping to get congress to change the laws. So what if it takes 25 years to win in court. We can still keep the injunctions on these issues active for 25 years. By then most of these issues would have become all but moot any way. Moreover, for those 25 years, we will indeed have kept these areas clear of the dangers. It also would give us time to develop additional ideas and fund in order to make these changes permanent.

With Respect,
Jim Windwalker
http://defendthewolves.org

Widlife and Environment Funding Needs

2005-09-28T00:25:00.000-07:00

Presented by; Jim Windwalker, Director/Manager First Nations Outreach Project

Over the years, the trend in funding for wildlife and environment has moved towards organizations mainly focused on legislation and lobbyist groups.
Both of the areas are important, however it has left little in the way of resources for those who have hands on organizations which actually deal with making immediate changes.

Animal funding for the most part has moved into the domesticated and pet organization arenas. Again leaving the wildlife organizations to pretty much fend for themselves. In more areas than not where wildlife funding is actually available it is for exotic animals (eg...lions, tigers, elephants, etc.) rather than indigenous wildlife

In order to actually correct the problems with our own endangered species Act, we are going to need to focus heavily on the rescue and rehab of endangered wildlife, reconstruction of habitat and education of the public to the dangers of loss of habitat and wildlife from our ecosystems.

The costs related to these goals are not small. However the degree of success in hands-on education is extremely effective and is likely the most effective area of conservation. The ability to bring visitors into a wildlife center and provide a full education program give people the feeling that making a difference is a personal experience. It also brings conservation to a personal responsibility level as well.

We do not believe that all funding should be discontinued for lobbying and legislative groups, however we do feel that unless the funding is expanded for hands-on organizations there will be little to legislate in the future.

Through proper funding of Wildlife Centers and organizations it is possible that we could prevent any species from becoming endangered again.

Habitat land acquisition and rescue will provide not only a means for improving the immediate critical needs of wildlife, but will provide education programs which will help to better prepare our future generations with tools to prevent the destruction of wildlife and habitat in the future through proper wildlife education.

America is one of the greatest super powers in the world. Along with that standing goes the responsibility to set an example for other Nations. An example which will show how important the environment is to all people of all countries. Currently the United States has the least funding available for indigenous wildlife of any country by national income.

Captive Breeding Wild Animals.

2005-09-28T00:06:00.000-07:00

There are a number of reasons why you should not captive breed wild animals.
The first reason is simple. They are wild animals and deserve to live free.
Aside from this point there are many more.

Wild animals despite how much you may love them will always be wild animals. Many people go through a great deal of trouble and expense to buy a wild animal when it is small thinking that they can raise it and it will be a pet. As the animal grows older and the wild nature starts to become more prevalent, the owner becomes afraid or their neighbors do and the animal becomes a problem.

The problem has several option of resolution. None of which are the best for the animal. One is to find a rescue that will take. The second is to take it to a remote area and release it. This basically is a death sentence. A wild animal raised in captivity has depended on humans for food. They have no idea how to hunt and survive on their own, aside from the fact that most wild animals do not hunt alone. Some people think these animals will be readily accepted into groups like themselves, but there are not group like themselves. The captive bred wild animal does not have the survival instincts and skills, nor the social interaction required to be accepted by their own kind.

The last and equally undesirable option is to take the animal and have it put to sleep. None are the desired life for an animal which should be allowed to live with dignity.
And then, there are those who cross wild animals with domestic animals for fun and profit. Usually not educating those who are buying the animal of the special needs and the problems that can and will arise from hybrid breeding. I have often heard people say they did this to “help” the animals. I am still trying to figure out how hybrid breeding animals can help wild animals.

There is an acceptable answer, one with greatly desired effects. Help to develop ideas and ways to protect our public lands so that we will always have habitat for these wild creatures that we all love and need so much to remain part of our ecosystem.

Support front line activism and become personally involved.

Currently almost every rescue in the world is full to capacity. How long before funds dry up and then those who can not find homes all have to be put to death?

Become educated in the issues and take an active part in finding resolutions for those problems.
You can be a positive force in the protection of wildlife without having them in your house where they do not belong. As long as people try to make pets out of wild animals someone will always have to try to keep them from being killed.

If you find an injured wild animal, please do not take it home and try to make it better. First step, immediately seek and find a real rehabilitator. One who has the experience to rehab the animal and make sure that it can be returned to the wild.

In rehabbing wild animals it is important that they not become imprinted any more than is necessary. Other wise they will no longer be able to survive in the wild either/
If you want to get involved to a greater degree, then do volunteer work for the rehab center and make a real difference.

There are many way that you can help and do good. Just remember there are just as many ways that you can do harm.

Do what is right for the wildlife, not what makes you feel special. Having a wild animal for a pet does not make you “kool”. It makes you selfish. It makes you appear not to care about the wellbeing of the animal.

Would you want someone to cage you? Or would you rather live free and happy?

Remember as long as people captive breed animals, then someone will have to rescue these animals. This will always require funds which could better be spent on habitat preservation, eco system protection, and then we will really be protecting these beautiful wild animals which so deserve our help and protection.

Jim Windwalker
Director/ Defend The Wolves