Sometimes you read things that make your jaw drop. Other times, you have difficulty understanding where other folks are coming from. It is these times when you have to work even harder.

Northern Rocky Mountain gray wolves were removed from the Endangered Species Act one month ago today. Thirty-seven wolves have been shot and killed since then. Thirty-seven wolves is over 2% of the entire population; all killed in just 30 days.

Oregon Wild has joined with several other conservation groups to sue the federal government over the decision to delist wolves. Earthjustice is heading up the legal challenge ("because the Earth needs a good lawyer"). We all feel we've got a pretty good case given the fact that most biologists say wolf populations need to be anywhere between 2,000 and 4,000 for genetic diversity to be robust. Currently, there are only 1,500 wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountain region. In the next day or two, we will also file an injunction to stop the wolf slaughter that is currently underway in states like Montana, Idaho and primarily Wyoming.

With federal protections gone, the states have been free to set up there own management plans. In Wyoming that has meant a virtual free-for-all for wolf hunters. Aside from a small portion of the state near Yellowstone National Park, the rest of the state is designated as a "predator zone" where wolves can be shot on site for no reason at all. In fact, many of the hunters that have driven snowmobiles dozens of miles to track down wolves to kill them, have admitted that their sole motivation is revenge.

I don't know about you, but it seems to me that plotting revenge is a bad way to make public policy. In Oregon, we are lucky to still have state laws that fully protect wolves. The question is, where are they going to come from now that our neighboring states have instituted public policies seeking to eradicate them once again. The five wolves confirmed to have returned to Oregon in the past nine years are believed to have crossed over from Idaho. The Governor of Idaho has said he wants to apply for the first permit to hunt and kill a wolf.

Even with our state protections, wolves returning to Oregon have faced the same dangers they face across the West. One was hit and killed on the freeway and two others were illegally shot and killed (some might say murdered). Oregon Wild chipped in part of a reward to find the most recent killer, but no one's turned up yet.

All of this news is a definite downer, but it is encouraging that there are so many out there eager and willing to support wolf recovery. While we work in the courtroom to make sure wolves get the federal protections they deserve, you can work with your neighbors and friends to educate and inform folks about wolves. We are encouraging everyone who cares about the future of wolves in Oregon to join the Oregon Wild Wolf pack today. Sign up now and we'll send you along a free wolf howl ring tone for your phone.

More wolf updates to come.