1. United States
2. Utah
3. Letter

Oppose the delisting of gray wolves and redirect federal resources toward ecologically sound livestock alternatives, including bison. Gray wolves are a keystone species. Their presence shapes vegetation, controls overgrazing, and sustains the broader ecosystem. University of Wisconsin researcher Adrian Treves found that killing wolves actually increased livestock losses on neighboring farms. Delisting does not protect cattle. It just removes a predator that holds fragile ecosystems together. The deeper problem is that cattle are poorly suited to the landscapes where wolves naturally roam. Bison evolved alongside these predators and are far better adapted to the terrain, the climate, and the pressures of natural predation. The federal government once facilitated the near-total annihilation of bison to clear land for cattle ranching. That was an ecological and economic mistake we are still paying for. Investing in bison as a protein source would reduce conflict with wolves, lower the cost of predator management, and restore a more balanced relationship between agriculture and the land. Non-lethal deterrents like electric fencing and woven barriers already work for farmers who can access them. The answer is funding those solutions and supporting a long-term transition toward species better suited to these ecosystems, not stripping protections from a recovered predator to prop up an ecologically mismatched industry.