Bush to Propose Removing Protections for Wolves in the Entire Eastern U.S.
Move Cuts Off Recovery Efforts Before They Are Complete
(07/16/2004) - Washington , DC – Defenders of Wildlife and the Wolf Conservation Center joined forces to strongly oppose the Bush administration’s proposal to remove the wolf from the federal list of threatened wildlife, a move that effectively shuts down the species’ recovery in eastern areas where it is not yet complete.“The Bush administration’s latest initiative to remove federal protections for the gray wolf throughout the entire eastern U.S. is another example of their blatant disregard for public comment and scientific scrutiny. These actions demonstrate both an irresponsible and arrogant approach to protecting a threatened species. The administration appears to be more concerned with political expediency than appropriate execution of conservation law.” Defenders of Wildlife Executive Vice President, Jamie Rappaport Clark, stated as the Interior Department prepares to announce the removal of the gray wolf throughout the eastern U.S. from the Endangered Species Act.
The Department’s latest decision comes in the midst of a lawsuit filed by Defenders of Wildlife, and other groups, who have challenged the wolf reclassification rule. The federal complaint notes that the Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) designation of “Distinct Population Segments” (DPS) for the wolf throughout the lower 48 states were not created based on science or to promote wolf recovery, but, rather, were developed so that the Service could move as quickly as possible to eliminate all ESA protections for wolves.
“It’s curious the Bush Administration is moving so swiftly, particularly since the earlier rule is under a court challenge. They are leaving little room, and even less time, for open, public, transparent discussions. There’s no need to rush the process, particularly since it is in the federal court system. The Interior Department should wait for a solid court decision before issuing an arbitrary rule that ultimately removes protections for a threatened species,” said Clark
Defenders also petitioned the FWS for a Distinct Population Segment (DPS) designation for the wolf in the Northeast. In its current rule, the FWS combined the Northeast with the Great Lakes states into one large DPS for the wolf, an area ranging from Maine to the Dakotas , even though vast areas of urban development clearly separate the two regions.
“This proposal puts the brakes on wolf recovery just as the species was starting to rebound,” New York based Wolf Conservation Center ’s Managing Director, Barry Braden stated. “While wolf populations in the three Great Lakes states of Minnesota , Wisconsin and Michigan have recovered, these states can hardly be considered a significant portion of the wolf’s historic range in the entire eastern U.S. Lifting protections for all wolves in the east based on the progress in three states simply defies logic and flies in the face of our democratic process that embraces open, fair and public debate.”
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Defenders of Wildlife is one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and habitat, and was named as one of America's Top 100 Charities by Worth magazine. With more than 480,000 members and supporters, Defenders is an effective voice for wildlife and habitat. To learn more about Defenders of Wildlife, please visit www.defenders.org.
Contact(s):
Brad DeVries, (202) 772-0237
