SCI Applauds U.S. FWS Decision to Remove Northern Rocky Mountain Gray Wolves from the ESA

Safari Club International congratulates the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on its announcement of the delisting of the northern Rocky Mountain population of wolves. The delisting marks the recovery of the wolf population living primarily in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. The rule to delist will be published in the Federal Register on February 27th and will take effect 30 days later.

Wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains have long exceeded the FWS’s recovery criteria and now number in excess of 1500. Upon delisting, states will assume management responsibility for this predator species.

SCI President Dennis Anderson stated “Safari Club International is pleased to see that the FWS has removed wolves from the endangered species list, transferring management to the individual states. The FWS’s decision to delist will enable the state agencies to manage wolves in a way that will sustain the species, while preventing harm to wild ungulate populations. When appropriate, the states will now be able to hold regulated wolf hunts.”

Safari Club International has long supported the FWS’s efforts to recognize the recovery of gray wolves. SCI is currently participating in litigation to defend the FWS’s decision to delist the wolves of the Western Great Lakes. SCI is also seeking to participate in litigation recently filed in Montana that challenges rules giving Montana, Idaho and Wyoming enhanced management authority to lethally remove wolves that are causing harm to elk, moose and deer populations.

AWESOME NEWS AND IT IS ABOUT TIME   –  Kevin Paulson