For Immediate Release
Contacts:
- Osvaldo Cabral, Huichol/Zacatecos, Executive Director/Co-Founder, Cuetlachtepetl Wolf Mountain Education Center , cwmecnonprofit@gmail.com 720.636.3896
- Dallas Gudgell – Yankton Dakota, Wildlife and Tribal Policy Director, IWCN, Dallas@wildlifecoexistence.org
- Josh Osher, Public Policy Director, Western Watersheds Project, josh@westernwatersheds.org (406)220-2883
- Oliver Starr, Founder and Executive Director Tahoe Wolf Center, tahoewolfcenter@gmail.com 530-307-3936
- Suzanne Asha Stone, International Wildlife Coexistence Network Suzanne@wildlifecoexistence.org 208-861-5177
- Lori Wynn, Executive Director, Guardians of the Wolves, 310-940-4097
DC Rally to Celebrate Newly Introduced Legislation to Protect America’s Wolves, Bison, and Grizzly Bears
Washington DC – On September 22, 2024, an historic event will celebrate the introduction of groundbreaking federal legislation aimed at securing Tribal co-stewardship and permanent national protection for wolves, bison, and grizzly bears—three species that have long faced persecution in the United States. Join us in supporting the “Tribal Heritage Grizzly Bear American Bison Wolf Restoration and Coexistence Act,” introduced by Senator Cory Booker on September 19th, 2024.
The International Wildlife Coexistence Network, Guardians of the Wolves, Western Watersheds Project, Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, Cuetlachtepetl Wolf Mountain Education Center, Humane Society US, Sierra Club, Tahoe Wolf Center, the Endangered Species Coalition and their partners invite the public to stand in solidarity with Tribal leaders to protect America’s most iconic wildlife and landscapes.
Event Details:
- Date: September 22, 2024
- Location: Eisenhower Memorial
- Time: 10:30am – 2:30 pm EST
- RSVP: WWW.BISONGRIZZLYWOLF.ORG
Speakers Include:
- Devin Oldman, Arapaho, Wind River
- Julian Matthews, Nez Perce, Coordinator, Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment
- Chiara Enriquez, Karankawa Hawk Clan, Council Member
- Vivan Delgado, Yaqui and Tewa Pueblo
- Christinia Eala, Sicangu Lakota, Tiyospayn Winyan Maka, Founder
- Red Fawn Janis, Oglala Lakota
- Sheelah Bearfoot, Chiricahua Apache
- Osvaldo Cabral, Huichol/Zacatecos, Executive Director/Co-Founder, Cuetlachtepetl Wolf Mountain Education Center
- Tony Evans, Mohawk, Author, Journalist
- Dallas Gudgell – Yankton Dakota, Wildlife and Tribal Policy Director, IWCN
This rally supports the Tribal Heritage and American Bison, Grizzly Bear, and Wolf Restoration and Coexistence Act introduced by Senator Cory Booker (D) of New Jersey today. The Act represents a crucial new paradigm in the fight for wildlife conservation and the preservation of Indigenous cultural heritage. This legislation aims to ensure that wolves, bison, and grizzly bears continue to thrive in their natural habitats, fulfilling their vital roles within North American ecosystems under Tribal co-stewardship.
Background:
American bison, grizzly bears, and gray wolves hold profound cultural significance to the Indigenous peoples of North America. However, these species were nearly eradicated from much of their historical range during the 19th and 20th centuries. Their loss has had devastating impacts on the ecological integrity of their former habitats. The proposed legislation builds on past conservation successes, such as the American Bald and Golden Eagle Act protections, by providing similar protections for these species and fostering their recovery across the United States.
Key Provisions of the Legislation:
- Permanent federal protections for bison, grizzly bears, and wolves, with specific exceptions for scientific, cultural, and treaty purposes.
- Creation of Intra-Tribal species-specific committees to implement coexistence and restoration projects.
- Enhanced collaboration with Tribes to identify lands suitable for species reintroduction and to oversee conservation efforts.
Quotes from NGOs sponsoring the Rally for the Wild Ones:
“We must protect and speak for our sacred relatives because they can’t speak for themselves. For they maintain an ecological balance that is imperative for our survival, knowledge and growth. Just like we seek guidance from our elders, we are also guided by our relatives of the Wolf Nation. By protecting and restoring our bond with our relatives we receive their teachings and many blessings. Through this we can begin to heal our relationship with ourselves, others and Mother Earth,” stated Osvaldo Cabral, Executive Director/Co-Founder, Cuetlachtepetl Wolf Mountain Education Center.
“Indigenous peoples, like our relatives the Buffalo, Grizzly and Wolves have distinct cosmology with our natural world. We have inhabited our natural world prior to colonization, dating back to our creation stories. “Comes Holy” a white buffalo was born June 4, 2024, and fulfills a prophecy that teaches our human relatives that spiritual unity is of essence to our survival. Indigenous people speak on behalf of those who cannot – the Buffalo, Grizzlies and Wolves,” added Vivian Delgado, a Pascua Pueblo Yaqui tribal member and Rally speaker.
“The protection of these species should be a shared responsibility,” said Suzanne Asha Stone, director of the International Wildlife Coexistence Network. “These iconic keystone species deserve to roam safely on our, the public’s, 640 million acres of federal public land and under the guidance of tribal co-stewardship, their original caretakers,” she added.
“We invite all who care about wildlife and the environment to join us in this effort,” stated Lori Wynn, lead rally organizer and executive director of Guardians of the Wolves “Big goals are achieved in small steps, and your participation in this movement can make a difference.”
“We’re excited to support this visionary legislation and believe that the restoration of relationships between Indigenous people and these important species will ultimately benefit all of us,” said Josh Osher, public policy director of Western Watersheds Project. “Wolves, bison, and grizzly bears have been persecuted aggressively and driven to the brink of extinction by anti-environmental state governments, so federal protections are essential.”
“The shared treasure of our 640 million acres of public lands must be stewarded for the benefit of future generations. Priority should be given to maintaining healthy ecosystems and the recovery of crucial species, including wolves, grizzly bears, and bison, not the killing of animals and extractive industries.” Said Oliver Starr, Executive Director of the Tahoe Wolf Center. “Indigenous people’ have thousands of years of history of responsible stewardship. This critical legislation rights historic wrongs and is a step towards a more responsible management paradigm of our country’s crown jewels.”
For more information or to RSVP, please visit bisongrizzlywolf.org
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