Update March 6, 2008. News from afar: 1) Apparent wolf in Massachusetts was a wild wolf; 2) Environmental groups try to stop the federal group “Wildlife Services” from killing wildlife. Update March 20: longer, more detailed article in the Boston Globe (with my comments added)   Wolf discovered in Massachusetts!               A wolf was shot in last fall (2007) and it has now been confirmed to have been a wild wolf. It was killed in NC Massachusetts in the town of Shelburne. It was preying on livestock.   Read more on this (with links to newspaper articles) on Ralph Maughan’s website: http://wolves.wordpress.com/2008/03/04/massachusetts-wolf/               I have always thought that it is absolutely amazing that eastern coyotes, which look so similar to eastern wolves and are actually closely related to them (click here for genetic data on eastern coyotes) , can have no protection while wolves are still on the Endangered Species Act. In my mind, it proves that the northern New England states care nothing about wolves returning since they allow unlimited slaughters (sorry 365 day hunting seasons; i.e., no closed season) of eastern coyotes. Just like everywhere in this country it will take the federal government to intervene and change this. Unfortunately, we are currently under the wrong administration to see that change.  Thus, a few citizens formerly petitioned the federal government to better regulate the killing of eastern coyotes, among other things (click here to see that 17 page petition ).               How many more dead wolves (or large eastern coyotes) will it take to force people to pay attention that wolves are trying to recolonize the northeast U.S.?  Unfortunately, these colonizers (likely from Canada originally) seem to always meet hostile U.S. residents who get a slap on the wrist for killing one because “they thought it was a coyote.” Update March 20: longer, more detailed article in the Boston Globe (with my comments after). The link below is an article that appeared in the Boston Globe on Mar. 17. It is a detailed article that explains how many people have seen wolves (reportedly) in the northeast. Again, I find it absolutely shocking that there is no mention of the all-out slaughter that northeastern states allow on the eastern coyote, an animal that shares genes with wolves returning to this area (remember, the eastern coyote is a hybrid of western coyotes and eastern wolves; eastern wolves that are larger in this story are probably, more or less, pure wolves if there is such a thing in the northeast). Until coyote hunting is much more regulated or restricted I don't see wolves coming back. I don't think the states in New England will change their statutes since they are dominated by hunters, and a vocal segment of hunters that don't want predators around (try googling "Sportsman Alliance of Maine" if you don't believe me; they implemented a bill to ban wolf reintroduction in Maine), while not representing even the average hunters' (who are overall a minority of the popoulation) viewpoint. I think it will require the federal government getting sued to stop this nonsense and allow wolves to recolonize (or be reintroduced) to this area. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/03/17/across_region_call_of_the_wolves/   Coalition of Environmental groups try and stop federal funding of wildlife control/killing: Great news!               In my book Suburban Howls, among other sources, I describe how wasteful our federal government is in literally spending more money on killing predators than the damage they actually cause. Well, the petition below attempts to change just that: http://www.wildearthguardians.org/support_docs/letter_congress_stop-wildlife-killing_3-6-08.pdf. (July 10, 2008: link no longer active so read story below for more)               Also see: http://wolves.wordpress.com/2008/03/06/drive-to-axe-federal-predator-eradication-program/#more-2116/                         They do this under the misguided name “Wildlife Services.”  Unfortunately because this particular administration is so backwards I suspect they will actually increase funding for this unnecessary wildlife slaughter program ($100 million a year is spend in this country killing native predators, more than the damage they cause).  Of course, this is despite a budget deficit and a supposed decrease in domestic spending. Way to go Wild Earth Guardians and other groups! Speak for the public and stop this needless practice.