Conservation Groups Sue Feds for Alleged ESA Violations in Wolf Decision
From MountainJournal.org:
Before government-sanctioned bounties for gray wolves unraveled at the turn of the 20th century, as many as 2 million individuals roamed freely throughout North America. Hunted nearly to extinction as westward expansion ensued, population estimates for one of America’s top carnivores dropped to below 700 wolves by 1960.
Federal conservation initiatives driven by the Endangered Species Act have protected wolves, driving their population to an estimated 3,000 individuals today. But a decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last year argued that gray wolves in the western U.S. no longer required federal protection.
