A federal judge has ordered that federal protections on wolves be restored in several areas of the country.
The new order reinstated wolf protection that the Trump administration removed at the tail end of his presidential tenure.
U.S. District Judge Jeffery White stated that the Fish and Wildlife Service failed to properly show that wolf populations could be harvested sustainably when they removed them from the Endangered Species Act.
The reversal by Judge White means that the wolf population in the midwest is now back under federal protection via the Endangered Species Act. If the reversal stands this means hunting seasons in the midwest will not be reinstated next year. However, this reversal does not apply to the wolf population in the Northern Rockies Recovery Area. This means that wolves in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming will remain under state management.
Federal wildlife officials argued to keep the wolf populations managed by each state, they stated that wolf populations are resilient and can bounce back quickly as long as proper hunting management and quotas are in place.
Overall it remains to be seen what kind of impact this reversal will have on wolf management in the Northern Rockies Recovery Area. However, many hunters and ranchers fear that this reversal may lead to more reversals in the future.
the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service is currently taking its time processing the decision.
“We are reviewing the decision currently.” – Fish and Wildlife Service Spokesperson Vanessa Kauffman
This is a developing story and many more details will come out in the near future. If you’d like to read more about this Judge reversing the delisting of these wolves you can click here. Likewise, you can read more about wolves and wolf management by clicking here.
What are your thoughts on a federal Judge revering the delisting of wolves? Have you gone wolf hunting before? Let us know in the comments!
