Conservation and Animal Groups Move to Keep Wolf Recovery On Track

Defenders of Wildlife Lead Plaintiff in Challenge of Bush Administration Moves to Strip Gray Wolf Protection

The groups say that plans to change the wolf's status from "endangered" to "threatened" are premature, and noted that several state governments which  are scheduled to take over management of the species under the Bush plan have declared their intent to initiate aggressive wolf killing programs.

"It saddens us to have to take this step, especially when we've made such a tremendous start toward real, sustainable wolf recovery," said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife. "But Secretary Norton is backing away from wolf protection before the job is finished and is jeopardizing all the progress her agency has made so far."

A March 18, 2003, FWS decision downlists the wolf from "endangered" to "threatened" throughout the Rockies and the Pacific Northwest, even though only three of nine states in the region with vast areas of suitable habitat have seen recovery efforts. The rule also downlists wolves to threatened throughout the Great Lakes and Northeast. The rule would sharply limit wolf recovery in the West to Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, and preclude wolf recovery in northern California, Oregon, Washington, northern Colorado, Utah, and the Northeastern United States.

The Bush Administration's plan would ultimately hand over management of gray wolf recovery to various state governments, even though many of those states have made it clear that they intend to encourage large-scale wolf killing as soon as they have the authority to do so.  For example, Idaho's legislature recently passed a resolution calling for elimination of wolves from the state "by any means necessary," and Wyoming intends to permit the shooting of  wolves on sight anywhere outside of national park lands. In the Great Lakes, the arsenal against wolves includes plans for a bounty and shoot on sight in Minnesota and aerial gunning in Wisconsin.

"Even though poll after poll shows that the citizens of Idaho, Wyoming, and other states with wolves want this important species protected, many of these state governments are in the grip of anti-wolf hysteria.  Rather than working for a consensus that helps wolves, ranchers and citizens, Secretary Norton can't wait to hand off wolf management to those who would kill them instead," Schlickeisen said.

Parties to Defenders of Wildlife, et al. v. Norton are: Defenders of Wildlife, Sierra Club, American Lands Alliance, Animal Protection Institute, Center for Biological Diversity, Forest Watch, Hells Canyon Preservation Council, Help Our Wolves Live ("HOWL"), The Humane Society of the United States, Klamath Forest Alliance, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility ("PEER"), Minnesota Wolf Alliance, Oregon Natural Resources Council, RESTORE: The North Woods, Sinapu, and the Wildlands Project.

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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.

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