Critical Alert Aerial Wolf Hunt Violates Federal Law

1/3/06--Aerial Wolf Hunt Violates Federal Law
KINSHIP CIRCLE LETTER CAMPAIGN
http://www.kinshipcircle.org

SOURCE OF INFORMATION
Alaska Overrules Voters, Reinstates Aerial Wolf Hunt
http://www.gnn.tv/articles/1430/Alaskan_Government_Overrules_Voters_Reinstates_Aerial_Wolf_Hunt
http://wolfcampaign.defenders.org/
ecoalerts@care2.com
http://www.doi.gov/

For several years, Kinship Circle has composed letter campaigns to Alaskan
officials and tourism agencies denouncing aerial wolf hunts and threatening
to boycott Alaskan travel. Yet, Alaska's third successive wolf massacre is
currently underway. This year, a letter of petition is addressed to U.S.
Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, asking her to halt the hunt as a
violation of the Federal Airborne Hunting Act.

We do, however, encourage you to COPY your letter to Alaskan officials and
tourism agencies. COPY ADDRESSES FOLLOW MAIN SAMPLE LETTER.

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SAMPLE LETTER TO SECRETARY GALE NORTON
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Secretary Gale Norton
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington DC 20240
ph: 202-208-3100; email: webteam@ios.doi.gov
web email: http://www.doi.gov/contact.html

Dear Secretary Norton,

As the federal agency empowered to "protect wildlife and improve the
environment," I implore the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to uphold
the Federal Airborne Hunting Act.

As you are aware, Alaskan Governor Frank Murkowsi renewed a third successive
season for private hunters to gun down wolves from aircrafts. It is the
DOI's responsibility to investigate Alaska's aerial gunning policies as
violations of the Federal Airborne Hunting Act.

Aerial marksmen have killed at least 423 wolves over the last two years.
This year's hunt promises hundreds more fatalities. An aerial hunter aims
his assault rifle out the window of a small aircraft to blow away wolves on
the ground. A same-day airborne hunter harasses animals from the air until
they are so worn down, he can land his helicopter or plane, set foot on the
ground, and fire away at point blank range.

In 1971, Congress enacted the Federal Airborne Hunting Act to ban use of an
aircraft to "attempt to shoot for the purpose of capturing or killing any
bird, fish, or other animal" or to "harass any bird, fish, or other animal."

In addition, Alaskan voters passed ballot measures in both 1996 and 2000 to
ban aerial and land-and-shoot wolf hunts. In a recent poll from Dittman
Research Corporation (commissioned by the Alaska Wildlife Alliance)
responders, including hunters, disapproved of aerial predator-control as a
system to boost moose and caribou numbers. The poll also revealed 53.5% of
Alaskan voters renounced same-day aerial wolf hunting.

The reinstatement of an aerial hunt is stunning in its audacity. The majority
of Alaskans remain ignored, their vote unfulfilled. Politicians discount
global opposition even though it continues to jeopardize Alaska's
billion-dollar tourism industry. There is still no scientific justification
for this violence against nature.

In fact, many studies attest to the valuable predatory role wolves play in
an ecosystem's well being. Wolves help sustain caribou and moose herds by
eliminating old, feeble, and sick individuals and fortifying gene pools over
time. Aerial gunning, on the other hand, has yet to undergo site-specific
studies to measure its effect on local ecosystems.

Secretary Norton, please act now on behalf of Alaskans, U.S. citizens, and
the international community who want the senseless slaughter to stop. I
respectfully ask you to hold Alaskan officials accountable for their
trespass of the Federal Airborne Hunting Act.

Thank you,

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COPY SECRETARY NORTON COMMENTS
TO FOLLOWING CONTACTS
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Governor Frank H. Murkowski
Office of the Governor, Box 110001
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0001
ph: 907-465-3500; fax: 907-465-3532
web email form: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/govmail.php

Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation
P.O. Box 25526
Juneau, AK 99802-5526
ph: 907-465-4190; fax: 907-465-6142
email: wolfcomments@fishgame.state.ak.us
ADF&G Commissioner McKie Campbell: commissioner_fishgame@fishgame.state.ak.us
ADF&G Deputy Commissioner of Wildlife Wayne Regelin: wayne_regelin@fishgame.state.ak.us
DW Director Matt Robus: matt_robus@fishgame.state.ak.us
DW Assistant Director Michelle Sydeman: michelle_sydeman@fishgame.state.ak.us
DW Administrative Manager David Thomson: david_thomson@fishgame.state.ak.us

Alaska Travel Industry Association
2600 Cordova Street, Ste. 201
Anchorage, AK 99503
ph: 907-929-2842; fax: 907-561-5727
email: atia@alaskatia.org

Alaska State Chamber of Commerce, Juneau Headquarters
217 Second Street, Suite 201
Juneau, AK 99801
ph: 907-586-2323; fax: 907-463-5515
email: info@alaskachamber.com

Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
524 W. Fourth Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501-2212
ph: 907-276-4118; fax: 907-278-5559
email: info@anchorage.net

Alaska Wilderness Recreation and Tourism Association
2207 Spenard Road, Suite 201
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
ph: 907-258-3171; fax: 907-258-3851
email: info@awrta.org
web email: http://www.awrta.org/index.cfm?fa=contactform