Target: Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Goal: Ban the brutal killing of keystone alligators in national wildlife refuges.
A disturbing photo of a car dragging the limp body of a slain alligator in its trail sparked outrage online. Unfortunately, strapping alligators to the backs of cars—as well as ruthlessly slaughtering these creatures in the first place—is totally legal in Florida. This year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved the first-ever alligator hunt in the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, which is supposed to be a protected area. There are few regulations governing alligator hunting in Florida, and hunters may use cruel methods of trapping and killing innocent alligators. One particular method involves using a pole that shoots a bullet into the animal’s brain—also known as a bangstick—that may leave the animal conscious and suffering for hours before dying.
Alligators are a keystone species in the environments of which they are a part. This means they play a particularly crucial role in the maintenance of ecosystems, especially by regulating prey populations so they don’t get out of control. Animal reserves should be places where wildlife can roam free of human disruption and hunting. There is absolutely no reason to permit the killing of any species in a wildlife refuge center, especially one as crucial as the alligator.
Sign this petition to demand an end to alligator hunting in the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Director Williams,
The recent approval of alligator hunting in Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is quite upsetting. These protected regions are supposed to be sanctuaries for the species they home, and animals within their premises are supposed to be safe from human activity. As alligators are a keystone species in the ecosystems to which they belong, alligator hunting can potentially affect the rest of the flora and fauna living in the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. Hunters show little to no respect for the animal’s life, and cruel methods of trapping and killing–such as using a bangstick to shoot a bullet into the alligator’s brain–are commonly used.
We are asking you, Ms. Williams, to prohibit the killing of alligators on protected plots of land.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Mark Gstohl
DEAR MS. WILLIAMS: Aren’t you supposed to be protecting these animals???????!!!!!!!!!
yeah!!! get on it man
The one who should be shot is the fat awful man who is smiling thinking that he is so brave! Jail for these people!
ALL STUPID CRUEL IDIOTS WHOM KILLS ALLIGATORS SHPULD RECEIVE THE EXACT TORTURE BEFORE BEING THROWN INTO A PRISON CELL WITHOUT HAVING ANYBMEDICAL TREATMENT FOR THEIR INJURY! THEY DIE THAT IS ONE LESS CRUEL, ABUSIVE, AND STUPID IDIOT WALKINGBON THIS EARTH!!! NO LOSS TO MANKIND!
Just look at the ‘fat’ bastard in the photo! Really looks proud of himself with the two murdered gators.
Better still would be for the fat sod and others like him to be chucked into the water with the gators, ( obviously without a gun) and see how they fair then!
I’ll bet the fuckers would not be so keen to murder any more crocs after they had one or two of their limbs ripped off!
I really do not know what pleasure these wankers get from killing innocent animals. I would say they are useless and sad bastards with no other purpose in life apart from getting a supposed thrill from killing and maiming.
Fuckers need taking out- permanently. Hope that someone has the guts to do it and feel no remorse. Then kick the bastards in the water for the ‘Crocs’ dinner.
Sweet revenge!!
Well said!! YES!!! LOVE IT!! what putrid scum this thing is!! Don’t kknow how you could get pleasure from this murdering an animal!!!
Hope one sneaks up on him and eats his fat ass. What is the criteria to be called a wildlife refuge?
THIS MUST STOP!!!! THE BASTARD HAS THAT SMIRK ON HIS FACE!!!! PUNISH HIM TO THE VERY MAXIMUM!!! THESE KILLINGS SHOULD STOP NOW!!!
I THOUGHT A REFUGE MEANT SAFETY!! NOT SO IN THIS CASE!!!
Inhumane! Need to be punished
This is cruel and inhumane. It needs to be banned.
definitely
It is always these fat, round-headed Neanderthal-types doing the hunting. Indeed, Neanderthals are known to have been avid hunters. These must be direct decendants.
Yep the filthy ugly fat scum!! Hope something happens to it soon, one eats him! Poor gators
Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Ban the brutal killing of keystone alligators in national wildlife refuges.
The lowlife psychopathic monster Hunters who are deliberately and heinously shooting these Alligators in the head for fun must be brought to Justice and jailed for life. These psycho monster torturers should be all shot in their vile and evil heads. This would be good riddance to the filth on our Planet.
No precious and innocent animals or Wildlife would be safe from these lowlife pos Hunters who enjoy torturing and murdering innocent animals – (Sentient Beings).
Eradication from our Planet is a must of these monsters from hell. Burn in hell you lowlife psycho monster bastards where you all belong.
So very White AmeriKKKan! Yes, this is a cultural issue, not just about this particular individual.
This morbidly obese animal killing scumbag must be exterminated. A slow and agonizing death for this cretin is essential! The only good hunter is a dead one!
WHO, in their mind, would support such depraved brutality — we do NOT NEED Alligator products
I live in Florida and had no idea this was allowed.
It’s disgraceful and needs to stop. We have a season for hunting alligators not just anytime!!