A federal judge has relisted gray wolves in Wyoming. USA Today reports Judge Amy Berman Jackson decided Tuesday wolves in Wyoming should go back on the Endangered Species List.
This isn't the first time Wyoming has had trouble with its wolf plan.
Wyoming has been fighting Washington over delisting since 2003, objecting to the federal standards and offering its own plan for controlling wolf populations. Federal courts blocked the state's plan, ruling that it inadequately protected the animals. - USA Today
Wolves were taken off the Endangered Species List in 2012 after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the state came to an agreement. It transferred control of the animals from federal to state officials. At that time, Fish and Wildlife said Wyoming agreed to keep at least 150 wolves and 15 breeding pairs, the same amount Montana and Idaho have agreed to maintain.
But since then, Wyoming says it only needs 100 wolves and 10 breeding pairs of animals. 219 wolves have been killed since Wyoming took over management.
Environmental groups challenged the 2012 delisting decision, including Earthjustice, Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity. The Center for Biological Diversity says Wyoming's wolf management plan "opened up over 80 percent of its land to unlimited wolf killing and provided weak protections for wolves in the remainder."
USA Today reports the judge sided with the environmental groups.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that it was "arbitrary and capricious" for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to rely on Wyoming's "nonbinding promises to maintain a particular number of wolves when the availability of that specific numerical buffer was such a critical aspect of the delisting decision." - USA Today
While the judge returned federal protections to the wolves in Wyoming, she did say the species has recovered and is not endangered.
The environmental groups called the ruling a victory. They say Wyoming law allowed unlimited hunting in a "predator" zone through much of the state and provided inadequate protections for wolves.
“The decision makes clear that ‘shoot-on-sight’ is not an acceptable management plan for wolves across the majority of the state,” said Dr. Sylvia Fallon, senior scientist and wildlife conservation director at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “It’s time for Wyoming to step back and develop a more science-based approach to managing wolves.” - Center for Biological Diversity
Reuters reports Wyoming's Governor Matt Mead says he'll ask a higher court to block the judge's order. He also wants Wyoming to keep managing the wolves in the meantime. That would include hunting of the animals.
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