Northern Rockies and Yellowstone Area Wolves

The Greater Yellowstone and Northern Rockies region is home to the largest wolf population in the American West, with more than 1500 wolves once again inhabiting this rugged landscape. Defenders of Wildlife has helped lead wolf recovery efforts here for decades, and played a critical role in the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho in 1995–1996.

Read Background and Recovery

Greater Yellowstone Wolves at Risk

April 28, 2008 - Defenders and 11 other conservation groups filed a federal court lawsuit challenging the federal government’s decision to remove the northern Rockies gray wolf population from the list of endangered species.

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Defenders In the Field

Since their return to the Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies, hundreds of wolves have been killed in response to livestock predation incidents. Defenders is taking proactive steps with resource managers, ranchers, and other community members to prevent deadly conflicts between wolves and livestock. 
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Management and Policy

Despite the landmark success of wolf recovery efforts in Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies, the wolf population is once again at risk. On February 21, 2008, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released its final rule removing wolves from the endangered species list, which will leave wolf management in the hands of state agencies.
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