Sample 1: Valentine’s Day eCard Fundraiser

Wolves often form long-term monogamous bonds with their mates. In honor of these amazing creatures, we created a series of Valentine’s Day eCards featuring beautiful wolf photography and Valentine’s messages.

This year, for a small donation, you can share your favorite Valentine’s eCard with friends, family, and loved ones—and support our wolf and wildlife conservation efforts at the same time! 

Each eCard you send supports our advocacy work to keep wolves and wildlife of the Great Lakes region protected from being hounded and harassed on our public lands. With your help, we can continue to protect our natural environment and preserve the beauty of our planet for generations to come.

eCard Widget: https://app.ecardwidget.com/w/wg6btrjfp

We are deeply concerned over the recent incident involving the killing of a federally protected gray wolf on December 25th. Federal wildlife agents are currently investigating the Bayfield County resident who used a firearm to shoot and kill a female wolf wearing a GPS tracking collar on his property. While the individual involved has not been charged and remains unidentified, the seriousness of the situation calls for our attention.

Since the 2022 federal court ruling, wolves in Wisconsin are protected under the Endangered Species Act. It is largely illegal to kill a wolf while the animal is under federal protection. The use of lethal force against a wolf is only justified in defense of human life. 

THESE INCIDENTS INVOLVING FALSE CLAIMS OF HUMAN SAFETY CONCERNS ONLY PERPETUATE THE FALSE NARRATIVE THAT CONFLICT BETWEEN WOLVES AND HUMANS IS ON THE RISE. 

The Wisconsin DNR confirmed that law enforcement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently investigating. If the shooting is determined to be unjustified the consequences can be severe, including imprisonment and substantial fines. The penalties outlined by the USFWS can be up to one year in prison, a $100,000 fine for individuals and up to $200,000 for organizations. Given the active nature of the investigation, the USFWS and DNR have refrained from releasing additional details, and we respect their decision to maintain confidentiality at this stage. 

We are offering a $1000 reward for citizens to come forward with any additional information that may lead to a prosecution. If you have any further information on the details surrounding this incident in Bayfield County, please contact us at info@wiwolvesandwildlife.org.

We find it concerning that those with weapons and the ability to defend themselves consistently claim they were scared for their lives. Poaching is an insult to conservation efforts, and we firmly assert that ignorance cannot justify the killing of protected wildlife. 

Here at Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance, we remain steadfast in our commitment to wildlife preservation and the prevention of poaching activities. We will continue to monitor this story to ensure accountability for those involved. The potential timeline for a decision in the northern Wisconsin wolf killing case remains uncertain, so we are calling for transparency in the investigative process. 

If you are looking for ways to help, please consider donating to our Poaching Project, which helps hold poachers accountable and ensures they will be brought to justice.