As human interference continues to impact wildlife negatively, an increasing number of animals are being added to the endangered species list. However, after some time, certain animals have been and continue to be removed from this list as well. As their populations begin to rise once again, they lose their endangered status. While that seems like a good thing, the changing of animals' statuses can often lead to debate. That is the case currently regarding wolves. A federal judge recently issued a ruling to reconsider wolf policy in Wyoming and other states. With this new ruling, the doors could be opened for wolves to be relisted as an endangered species, and the responses varied.
Federal Judge Makes Move That Could Have Wolves Back On The Endangered Species List
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Cowboy State Daily shared some interesting news regarding a federal judge's ruling on wolves and their status. According to the outlet, a ruling from Judge Donald Molloy in U.S. District Court for the District of Montana in Missoula argued that the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) broke the law. The judge claimed that FWS broke the law last year "when it denied a petition from a coalition of environmental and animal welfare groups calling for wolves to be re-listed as an endangered species."
Naturally, when this petition was denied, a host of environmental and animal welfare groups were not pleased. Together, they petitioned the FWS to place the wolves back under federal protection. They believed that wolf management policies in Wyoming, as well as other states, were too harsh. However, FWS rejected their petition, which led to the current lawsuit in the U.S. District Court.
Why The Differing Opinions?
I am sure we all agree we don't want any more species to go extinct. So why then are some people so adamantly against wolves being placed back on the endangered species list? Some critics, many of them Colorado ranchers, have had complaints about wolves attacking their livestock. As reintroduction programs continue to thrive regarding wolf populations, ranchers and their livestock continue to suffer.
In states such as Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, wolves were removed from federal protection back in 2021. After that time, it was left to the states to manage the wolves and their populations. In all three mentioned states, it is legal to hunt and trap wolves. If they regained their endangered species status, all three of those states would lose direct management of them. While this would make animal activists happy, it would frustrate ranchers who are trying to protect their livestock.
Backcountry outfitter Rick Roach of Cody spoke with Cowboy State Daily on the matter. He shared that he thinks placing wolves back on the endangered species list would be "a bad idea." From there, he argued that the current state management tools "strike a balance between conserving wolves and protecting livestock and big game herds."
However, wolf advocates argue that there are no guardrails protecting these creatures and that certain states are "too eager to kill wolves."
