In May, Craig Thiessen, a Datil, New Mexico-based rancher, intentionally trapped and beat a Mexican gray wolf to death. Thiessen admitted to knowing the wolf, named Mia Tuk, was protected under the Endangered Species Act. His punishment: a meager $2,300 fine and a one-year probation—barely a slap on the wrist.
In a June 8 letter, Guardians, nearly 30 organizations, and many individuals formally requested that the Gila National Forest supervisor immediately cancel Thiessen’s grazing permits for Thiessen’s failure to comply with regulations relating to wildlife protection.
Grazing cattle on public land is not a right, but a privilege. A man who knowingly and brutally murders an endangered species no longer deserves this privilege.
Read the press release.
