Environment

Gray Wolves removed from endangered list in Montana and Idaho

by Amy Judd | April 2, 2009 at 11:46 am

829 views | 34 Recommendations | 6 comments

Gray wolves have been removed today from the endangered species list in Montana and Idaho, after a ruling by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, however they will still be protected in Wyoming.

This is angering the state of Wyoming, who want to have control over the numbers and they want to classify them as predators that can be shot on sight or managed as trophy game.

Wyoming is planning to sue, stating that the federal protections are inadequate.

Doug Honnold, a lawyer with Earthjustice in Montana — the law firm representing conservation groups — said they were "going to fight until we can get to legitimate recovery. We think that the population is close to appropriate recovery levels, but it's not there yet."

Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Montana, said the agency expected the legal challenges.

"We know we're going to be in litigation over this whole thing," he said.

Wyoming is objecting to the fact that the Fish and Wildlife Service says they must have 15 breeding pairs and at least 150 wolves, but the new rule states that they should also have at least seven breeding pairs and 70 wolves outside of Yellowstone and Grand Tenton national parks as well.

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Susan Dykstra

at 14:58 on April 2nd, 2009

The close up of the wolf eye was taken in Ely, Minnesota.

Susan Dykstra has contributed a photo to this story.

AndreaLynnMcLeod

at 15:29 on April 2nd, 2009

My photo (profile view of the wolf, picure on the far right) was taken at the Nature Center, in Asheville North Carolina.

for contacting me, about any other photographs or services

andreamcleod_92@hotmail.com

Windtalker

at 18:24 on April 2nd, 2009

I had thought that Obama over turned that traitor to nature Bush's policy i am going to keep a close eye on this situation in Montana as i am now in Alaska for nature needs defenders for this war between man and nature must stop.Wolf medicine along with Bear and Eagle medicine is needed in this day and age as a medicine person of sorts i work with the whales for example to ease underwater earthquakes and volcanoes but if man keeps killing off natures children then nature will turn on man and they won't listen to us who work with them.For we are all a part of this world not just humans but all living things and instead of man at war with nature as has been the case it will be a war of nature against man and man does not hold a candle to the forces of nature.There needs to be peace or humans will get there butts kicked.

Uwe Paschen

at 18:27 on April 2nd, 2009

We need to confine Humans into less space and give the Wild life back more habitat.

A. Tran

at 22:14 on April 2nd, 2009

I hope the US Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to protect these gray wolves in Wyoming. Thank you for this piece.

November's child (not verified)

at 20:25 on April 19th, 2009

The problem is a child will be killed by a wolf and the entire top predator thing will be reignited. In California they listed the cougar as endangered by a public vote and human to cat encounters rose almost exponentially. A system which had people paying for the chance to kill a cougar at a rate of less than 10% success turned into 3 x's the cougars killed by a state paid staff. The deed is done! Wolves are here to stay. Let the gun toting fools try to kill them off. It will not work because the wolves are too smart and hunting is declining. As hunting opportunities decrease so will the hunters and the animals will just have to dodge the developers eating up their land.