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For Immediate Release
Bush Administration Refuses to List Wolverine as an Endangered Species
WASHINGTON, DC -- Defenders of Wildlife today decried the Bush Administration's refusal to consider listing the wolverine as an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The listing request came from an alliance of wildlife groups, including Defenders of Wildlife, Predator Conservation Alliance, Northwest Ecosystem Alliance, Friends of the Clearwater, and Superior Wilderness Action Network. The administration made its decision despite substantial scientific evidence showing that the wolverine faces significant threats from over-trapping and habitat loss. The decision was issued three years after the petition was submitted and only after the groups sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in federal court for violating the ESA, which requires a decision on such petitions within 90 days of receipt. In denying the petition, the Bush Administration claimed that not enough information was submitted despite the fact that the 80-page petition cites considerable scientific evidence demonstrating the dire threats to the wolverine.
"Our petition plainly demonstrates that the wolverine is on the path toward extinction in the lower 48 states. The Fish and Wildlife Service's decision is yet another example of this administration's ongoing efforts to undermine protections for imperiled species," said Defenders of Wildlife Legal Director, Mike Senatore.
Wolverines once ranged across the northernmost tier of the United States from Maine to Washington, but have been eliminated from all but a fragment of this historic range due to destruction of wilderness habitat and trapping. Today, the rarely-seen wolverine is known to exist only in the northern Cascades of Washington and in high- elevation patches of the Rocky Mountains in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, with a few sporadic, unconfirmed sightings in Oregon and California. Studies in Montana and Idaho have estimated wolverine density at one wolverine per 40 to 70 square miles. One study estimated that only 20 wolverines inhabited a 500-square-mile study area in northwestern Montana.
"In Montana, wolverines exist in isolated ranges such as the Bridger and Crazy Mountains. Unfortunately, Montana is also the only state that still allows trapping of wolverines. Without federal protections, it is likely that these island populations will be trapped beyond replacement," said David Gaillard, Forest Associate for Predator Conservation Alliance.
"The wolverine will not survive without federal protection," added Senatore. "Unless this administration is willing to set aside its hostility to environmental protection laws, we could be witnessing the beginning of the end for this rare creature in the lower-48 states."
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Defenders of Wildlife is a leading nonprofit conservation organization recognized as one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. With more than 430,000 members and supporters, 90,000 in California alone, Defenders of Wildlife is an effective leader on endangered species issues. To stay current on hot topics in wildlife conservation, subscribe to DENlines, Defenders of Wildlife’s electronic update and action alert network. To subscribe to DENlines or for more information on Defenders of Wildlife projects, please visit www.defenders.org.
