Feds Delay Delisting of Western Gray Wolves as Endangered

By J.R. Pegg

WASHINGTON, DC, January 13, 2004 (ENS) - The Bush administration today delayed a controversial plan that would remove federal protection for gray wolves in the western United States and give state governments the responsibility for managing and safeguarding the species. Officials said they have postponed the decision because Wyoming's wolf management plan is inadequate and fails to provide assurance of management controls to maintain population levels above recovery goals.

The federal agency objects to the state's plan to designate wolves in some areas as predators - a designation that allows wolves to be killed at any time and anywhere.

Officials recommended that Wyoming instead designate wolves as "trophy game" statewide, a move that would put some restrictions on when and where wolves could be killed.

In addition, the agency said the Wyoming plan does not provide adequate monitoring, does not commit to managing 15 wolf packs and fails to apply a consistent, biologically based definition of a pack.

Gray wolves were hunted and killed with more passion and zeal than any other animal in U.S history. (Photo by John and Karen Hollingsworth courtesy Fish and Wildlife Service)

Wyoming state officials say they are preparing a response to the Fish and Wildlife Service's decision.

The decision blocks the plan to delist the species throughout the Western United States from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) "because these wolves are part of one distinct population segment," said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Steve Williams.

In April 2002 the Bush administration controversially divided the gray wolf into three distinct population segments - the Western population includes Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, northern Colorado, and northern Utah.

Of the nine states in the Western distinct population segment with suitable habitat, only Idaho, Montana and Wyoming have seen recovery efforts - the Fish and Wildlife Service says some 760 wolves live in these three states.

For delisting to progress in the Western DPS, the Fish and Wildlife Service must approve management plans by all three states.

Agency officials today said the plans developed by Idaho and Montana are adequate to maintain the population of gray wolves above established recovery goals.

The review of each state's management plans included peer review by 11 national wolf experts and state responses to those peer review comments, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Conservationists are happy to see any delay in implementation of revised protections of the gray wolf - they contend the Bush policies will undermine what many view as one of the nation's greatest conservation success stories.

Recovery efforts have helped make the gray wolf a symbol for successful partnerships between the government and conservationists. (Photo by George Gentry courtesy Fish and Wildlife Service)

The April 2003 rule downgraded the status of the gray wolf throughout much of the lower 48 states - except for those in the Southwest - from "endangered" to "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Critics say the decision is premature and fear the species would suffer if protection efforts were left in the hand of state governments.

Conservation groups have sued to block the plan in federal courts in Oregon and Vermont.

Prior to the announcement, all gray wolves in the lower 48, except for those in Minnesota, had been listed as endangered under the ESA. The Minnesota population continues to be listed as threatened.

Proponents of less protection for wolves contend that the animals pose significant risk to livestock and are adversely affecting elk populations, which in turn is annoying elk hunters.