Alaska Wildlife Alliance

	Toklat wolf

Alaska is the earth's last stronghold for many mammal species like wolves, wolverine, lynx and otters which have been declared threatened and endangered elsewhere. The Alaska Wildlife Alliance (AWA), a non-profit organisation based in Anchorage, has taken the lead in attempting to protect these and other species which are declining due to the effects of hunting, darting, trapping and a decimation of their natural environment.

Paul Joslin, AWA's Executive Director writes:

"If 'management' for maximum sport hunting and commercial 'harvest' continue, then Alaska's wildlife diversity and wildlife systems will be irreparably damaged or lost entirely".

In an emergency request to Onaway in April 2001, Paul Joslin reported that a number of Denali Park wolves were killed by a park researcher shooting fatal darts from a helicopter. The AWA urgently needed financial help to fund a public awareness campaign to highlight the situation and to pressurise the decision-makers. Onaway responded with a grant of $5,000 and as a result of the campaign the Alaska Game Board agreed to extend the protection zone at the northeastern end of Denali from 19 square miles to approximately 100 square miles on state-owned lands at the northeastern end of Denali. "Once again, we thank Onaway for its unfailing and ongoing support for our cause," wrote Paul Joslin.

Associate Director, Karen Deatherage reported that the extended protection zone was helpful and hoped that the new alpha male wolf* would be wise enough to keep the family protected during winter. However, she fears that "it may fall short of protecting the wolves from local trappers."

The creation of an extended protection zone is definitely a step in the right direction but AWA's efforts to further protect the Toklat wolves and Alaska's other mammals will continue.

For more information about the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, visit their website.

The Onaway Trust is a registered charity - number 268448.