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Defenders in Action: Win for Wyoming Wolves
removed from federal protection. So far, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has refused.
Wolves in Wyoming dodged a bullet this summer when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) denied the state's request to remove the animals from the endangered species list.
Wyoming had petitioned to have wolves in the Wyoming, Idaho and Montana region declared a separate population and removed from federal protection. But FWS, echoing past concerns about the state's management plan, believes Wyoming does not have adequate measures in place to ensure the wolf's continued recovery.
"Defenders of Wildlife supports enlisting the help of the states with wolf management where appropriate," says Defenders' President Rodger Schlickeisen. "But Wyoming's wolf-management plan to nearly eliminate restrictions on killing wolves in the state could jeopardize the future of the wolf in the region. A balanced plan can achieve wolf recovery while also protecting ranchers' livestock."
Despite claims that wolves take a heavy toll on livestock producers, federal statistics show that more livestock are lost to domestic dogs, bad weather, disease, birthing complications and theft by humans than to wolves. Defenders' wolf compensation program pays ranchers for verified losses to wolves, as long as nonlethal alternatives are being used to avoid conflicts.
"The fact is, as large carnivores, wolves play an enormously important role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem that benefits us all," says Suzanne Stone, Defenders' northern Rockies representative. "It is important that FWS makes it clear to states wishing to take over management of wolves that plans focused on killing wolves are inadequate."
