After a brief hiatus, we are thrilled to be back with our monthly newsletter. We’re excited to bring you the latest updates from Wildlife for All and the wildlife justice world. 

We hope you’ve missed us as much as we’ve missed you!

Compassionately Yours,

Kevin Bixby & Michelle Lute

Co-Executives Directors at Wildlife for All

We are delighted to introduce Delani Delgado, our new Membership Coordinator, to kick off this latest newsletter. Delani’s role will focus on building stronger relationships with our supporters to ensure that each one of you feels more connected to Wildlife for All than ever before. We are confident that with her on board, Wildlife for All is poised to achieve even greater heights.

We invite you press the button to schedule a meeting time with Delani so that you can share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback. This is a great opportunity to get to know her and to discuss how we can work together to further our mission! 

We recently hosted a webinar about so-called “Right to Hunt” Amendment initiatives for our coalition partners. Here are the 4 key takeaways you should know:

1. Current Status: 23 states have constitutional amendments protecting the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife. Groups like the NRA and Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation aim to pass these in all states. Florida has an RTH amendment on the ballot this November.
2. Political Motivation: These amendments are more about maintaining political power than protecting hunting rights. They prioritize hunting and fishing as wildlife management methods and protect controversial “traditional” practices like leghold traps and hounding.
3. Public Impact: RTH amendments restrict the public’s ability to use ballot initiatives to protect wildlife, such as the 2020 measure passed by Colorado voters to reintroduce wolves into the state. 
4. Clear Political Ties: RTH initiatives are linked to right-wing groups. For example, the International Order of T. Roosevelt, a major RTH proponent, has connections to the Koch Brothers’ funded Americans for Prosperity. In Florida, the RTH amendment is seen as an effort to boost Republican voter turnout this November.

Wildlife for All is working to build off our webinar by supporting legal internship(s). Analysis of RTH amendments will inform additional resources such as toolkits to empower our coalition partners in opposing these measures in states where they have not yet been passed.

We’re excited to announce that WFA’s co-executive directors Michelle Lute and Kevin Bixby will be traveling to Vancouver (BC) later this month where they will host an interactive session at the Society for Conservation Biology conference

Organized by the prestigious North American Congress for Conservation Biology, the session will focus on “Revolutionizing State and Provincial Wildlife Governance: Promoting Democratic, Just and Inclusive Policy-making.” 

In keeping with the conference theme of Celebrating Diversity in Conservation from Summit to Sea, the session aims to reorient the existing wildlife management framework in the U.S. and Canada toward a more inclusive and holistic approach, one that leads to better conservation outcomes that consider the needs of all living beings and ecological communities. 

The Society for Conservation Biology is the premier international society for professionals, students and non-profits dedicated to advancing the science and practice of conserving biodiversity.

This month, we proudly spotlight Colin Croft and his dedicated team at Nebraskans Living with Mountain Lions. Their latest advocacy effort is a crucial petition to prevent sport hunting of mountain lions in the Wildcat Hills. 

The Nebraska Game & Parks Commission has proposed allowing sport hunting of mountain lions in the Wildcat Hills, a move that could have severe consequences for these magnificent creatures.

Mountain lions, also known as cougars or pumas, were absent from Nebraska for over a century until they began to return in the early 1990s. By 2013, they had established a breeding population in the Wildcat Hills. Importantly, there have been no documented attacks on livestock, pets, or people in this area.

While hunting species like deer is an important tradition for many and can play a role in wildlife management, the proposed trophy hunting of lions is driven by a small minority; only about 4% of Nebraskans hunt, and even fewer are interested in hunting mountain lions. This does not reflect the values of the broader community that does not support recreational killing of carnivores.

Add My Name to the Petition

For more updates and to stay connected with their efforts, visit Nebraskans Living with Mountain Lions on Facebook. If you live in Nebraska, you can also contact your Commissioner or submit your comments directly to the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission.

Not a member of Wildlife for All or want to refer someone to join? 

Become a Member Today

Support from our members is critical to helping us reform state wildlife management in the U.S. to be more democratic, just, compassionate, and ecologically sound.

Thank you!