[D Winkler]

Rocky Mountain Wolves Removed From Endangered Species List

February 22, 2008.

From the US Fish and Wildlife Service:

The gray wolf population in the Northern Rocky Mountains is thriving and no longer requires the protection of the Endangered Species Act, Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett announced today. As a result, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will remove the species from the federal list of threatened and endangered species.

"The wolf population in the Northern Rockies has far exceeded its recovery goal and continues to expand its size and range. States, tribes, conservation groups, federal agencies and citizens of both regions can be proud of their roles in this remarkable conservation success story," said Scarlett, noting that there are currently more than 1,500 wolves and at least 100 breeding pairs in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.

Service-approved state management plans will provide a secure future for the wolf population once Endangered Species Act protections are removed and the states assume full management of wolf populations within their borders. The northern Rocky Mountain DPS includes all of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, as well as the eastern one-third of Washington and Oregon, and a small part of north-central Utah.

"With hundreds of trained professional managers, educators, wardens and biologists, state wildlife agencies have strong working relationships with local landowners and the ability to manage wolves for the long-term," said Lyle Laverty, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. "We're confident the wolf has a secure future in the northern Rocky Mountains and look forward to continuing to work closely with the states as we monitor the wolf population for the next five years."

The minimum recovery goal for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains was set at a minimum of 30 breeding pairs (a breeding pair represents a successfully reproducing wolf pack) and a minimum of 300 individual wolves for at least three consecutive years. This goal was achieved in 2002, and the wolf population has expanded in size and range every year since.

"These wolves have shown an impressive ability to breed and expand - they just needed an opportunity to establish themselves in the Rockies. The Service and its partners provided that opportunity, and now it's time to integrate wolves into the states' overall wildlife management efforts," said Service Director H. Dale Hall.

Gray wolves were previously listed as endangered in the lower 48 states, except in Minnesota, where they were listed as threatened. The wolf population in the western Great Lakes was delisted in early 2007. When the delisting of the Rocky Mountain population takes effect 30 days from its publication in the Federal Register on February 27th, the Service will oversee the only remaining gray wolf recovery program, for the southwestern U.S. wolf population. The delisting announced today affects only the northern Rocky Mountain population of gray wolves. Gray wolves found outside of the Rocky Mountain and Midwest recovery areas, including the southwest wolf population, remain protected under the Endangered Species Act and are not affected by actions taken today.


Hunt The West - Rocky Mountain Wolves Removed From Endangered Species List

[birdman]

I commend the work the U.S. wildlife service has put forth in the rehabilitation of the wolf species; however, this has become quite the hot topic around the Yellowstone valley. The question is how far should the wildlife dept go to protect these animals in the future. Countless losses were encountered by ranchers in these areas due to predation on cattle herds surrounding the protected areas. There is currently a group effort to get wolves re-introduced into Rocky Mountain National Park (Estes Park Colorado). This effort was put forth as a means to disperse the native elk herds in the National Park. The over poplulation of the elk herd in this area has lead to severe depletion of habitat and the native environment. The thought of wolve introduction to many is quite scary; however, the purpose would be to disperse the herds in problem areas to prevent over grazing and resource distruction. The park currently has planned to allow government "sharp shooters' to harvest animals in an attempt to decrease the impact of under-managed herds. Why in hell the government would spend millions of dollars to do what the public would pay to do is beyond my comprehention, but that's another story. I say let them loose. There hasn't been a confirmed human encounter or attack on the record books!!!!!!

[D Winkler]

I don't really see a problem with Wolves in Rocky Mountain either. I don't think there is a lot of farmers around that area which is who it would effect negatively. I know that they have had government "sharp shooters" as you called them doing this for years. What a waste.