Wolves Returned to the Endangered Species List

A federal judge in Montana has ordered gray wolves in the Northern Rockies be returned to the endangered species list. U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy granted a preliminary injunction Friday, July 18, 2008, restoring federal protections for the wolves.

Apparently, he feels that the 1,400 documented wolves in the tri-state region of Idaho Montana and Wyoming is not good enough for the court nor the plaintiffs, when 300 wolves was the bar set by the federal government originally for delisting. This bar was originally supported by the plaintiffs.

The Rocky Mountain wolves were delisted from the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service earlier this year. Wolves were reintroduced into Idaho and the region beginning in 1995. According to federal requirements for delisting, they were eligible for such action beginning in 2002.

What’s next? The federal court at some indeterminate time will make a decision on the merits of the Defenders suit. Hunting as a management tool is negated for this fall.

Here are some links that include the judge’s decision.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/446338.html

http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/446410.html

http://media.idahostatesman.com/smedia/2008/07/18/18/wolf_ruling.source.prod_affiliate.36.pdf