Quck answer
The gray wolf will once again receive federal protection in most of the United States. The Trump administration had previously removed federal protections for gray wolves, allowing states to decide how to manage their populations. However, a recent court ruling found that this decision was unlawful and reinstated federal protections for the species. This means that gray wolves in states such as Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin will be protected under the Endangered Species Act. The decision has been welcomed by conservation groups, who argue that gray wolves are still at risk of extinction in many areas.
Wild Animals
A group of gray wolves (Canis lupus) can be seen howling in Yellowstone National Park. During the 2021-2022 hunting season, the National Park Service has confirmed that at least 24 wolves from Yellowstone have been killed. Stan Tekiela Author/Naturalist/Getty Images
Following the removal of the gray wolf (Canis lupus) from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by the Trump administration in October 2020, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White has ruled on February 10, 2022, that gray wolves found in the lower 48 states will once again be protected.
Judge White declared that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had incorrectly delisted the wolves, which had been under federal protection since 1970. The decision made by the Trump administration removed all wolves found in the lower 48 states from federal protections, suggesting that the animal populations had recovered. The Biden administration maintained the same ruling.
However, following their removal, the wolves have been subjected to aggressive hunting in areas where they were almost eradicated years ago. Judge White’s new ruling now prohibits most forms of wolf hunting, including the controversial hunt in Wisconsin in February 2021, where licensed hunters killed 218 wolves in just three days.
A coalition of environmental organizations, including Friends of the Wisconsin Wolf & Wildlife, petitioned the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in August 2021, providing evidence of the wrongs committed during the 2021 wolf hunt. (See sidebar for more information.) Their proof, along with the delisting of gray wolves, aided in Judge White’s decision to re-list the gray wolf.
However, not all gray wolves in the United States will fall under the new ruling. The gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains are unaffected. This includes wolves in states like Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana, where they often move in and out of Yellowstone National Park. During the 2021-2022 hunting season alone, at least 24 wolves from Yellowstone have been confirmed killed.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently reviewing the wolf population in the Northern Rocky Mountains to determine whether they require ESA protections once again.
However, many livestock associations, hunters, and farmers are unhappy with Judge White’s ruling, claiming that the wolves have recovered and that conservation should be left to the states and local organizations.
Currently, violating the Endangered Species Act of 1973 can result in fines of up to $50,000 per violation, or imprisonment. This includes harming or killing an endangered gray wolf.
Now That’s Sad
A study conducted in July 2021 by researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison discovered that hunters and poachers had illegally killed around 100 more wolves in addition to the 218 wolves that were legally killed during Wisconsin’s February 2021 wolf hunt. The combined kills represent between 313 and 323 wolves, or approximately 33% of the state’s wolf population.
FAQ
1. Why were gray wolves taken off the endangered species list?
Gray wolves were taken off the endangered species list in 2011 after their population in the Great Lakes region and the Northern Rocky Mountains had rebounded. The decision was made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which had determined that the species was no longer at risk of extinction.
2. Why are gray wolves being put back on the endangered species list?
Gray wolves are being put back on the endangered species list because a federal judge ruled in 2014 that their removal from the list was premature. The ruling came after environmental groups sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, arguing that the agency had not adequately considered the impact of hunting and trapping on the wolves’ population.
3. What areas will be affected by the new federal protection?
The new federal protection will apply to gray wolves in most of the contiguous United States, except for Minnesota, which has had a state wolf management plan in place since 2012. The protection will also not apply to Mexican gray wolves, which are still considered endangered.
4. What does federal protection mean for gray wolves?
Federal protection means that gray wolves will be protected from hunting and trapping in most of the United States. It also means that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be responsible for managing the wolf population and ensuring that it does not decline to a level where the species is at risk of extinction.
5. How will this decision affect farmers and ranchers?
Some farmers and ranchers have expressed concern that gray wolves will prey on their livestock if their populations continue to grow. However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has stated that it will work with farmers and ranchers to prevent conflicts between wolves and livestock, and that it will compensate them for any losses they may incur as a result of wolf predation.
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