Feds settle on ESA status quo for some gray wolves

From Greenwire:

The Fish and Wildlife Service said Friday that it found no need to change the Endangered Species Act protections for certain populations of the gray wolf but instead pledged to develop a first-of-its-kind comprehensive plan to recover the species.

In a highly anticipated and politically fraught decision, the federal agency announced the northern Rocky Mountain population that spans several states will stay off the ESA list of protected species. A larger decision on wolves in other states could now occur by a Feb. 16 court date.

 

Click here for the full story.

U.S. won’t restore protections for wolves in Rockies, proposes national recovery plan

From Western Slope Now:

Federal wildlife officials on Friday rejected requests from conservation groups to restore protections for gray wolves across the northern U.S Rocky Mountains, saying the predators are in no danger of extinction as some states seek to reduce their numbers through hunting.

The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service also said it would work on a first-ever national recovery plan for wolves, after previously pursuing a piecemeal recovery in different regions of the country. The agency expects to complete work on the plan by December 2025.

 

Click here for the full story.

After millions in taxpayer money spent on anti-wolf lobbying, Utah lawmaker wants more oversight

From Colorado News Online:

Utah lawmakers are once again considering funding efforts to scale back the protections granted to wolves under the Federal Endangered Species Act, with the group Hunter Nation requesting an additional $500,000 during an appropriations committee Thursday.

Click here for the full article.

Warm weather forces park officials to suspend Isle Royale wolf count for first time in decades

From Phys.org:

A stretch of unusually warm weather has forced federal officials to suspend researchers’ annual wolf-moose count in Isle Royale National Park for the first time in more than six decades.

 

Click here for the full story.

New group of wolves inhabits Bechler Meadows after previous pack dissolved

From Buckrail:

JACKSON, Wyo. — In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), the adaptability of wolves faces increasing pressures from human influences. Yellowstone National Park’s (YNP) Bechler Meadows provides a lens into understanding the relationships between pack survival, resilience and challenges in today’s modern landscape.

 

Click here for the full story.

Wisconsin wolf management plan could soon face its first test

From Isthmus News:

After months of research, public input and hearings, the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board approved a new wolf management plan in October. It would seem a done deal, but nothing is simple when it comes to wolves in Wisconsin. The plan is being challenged in court and could soon face its first implementation test.

On Feb. 2 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to release a proposed rule on whether gray wolves should be removed from the list of endangered species in Wisconsin and the rest of states in the “lower-48” (excluding the Rocky Mountain population). If delisted, the state of Wisconsin is required under a 2011 law to hold a public wolf hunt.

 

Click here for the full story.

CPW SENDS UPDATE ON WOLF SIGHTINGS SINCE 2004, AND MORE ON THE MAP

From Steamboat Radio:

Colorado Parks and Wildlife sent a wolf update to Steamboat Radio/KRAI News on Tuesday. We asked about sightings being reported. Joey Livingston with CPW responded and said they field about 100 reports each year, but many turn out to be coyotes and dogs. They need strong supporting evidence. He said specific sightings could create unwarranted interest or fear from the public.

“CPW typically fields around 100 sighting reports each year. However, wolf reports are typically not considered reliable without strong supporting evidence. CPW often receives wolf sighting reports that turn out to be coyotes or dogs and having a viewable list of sightings could invoke unwarranted interest or fear from the public. When numerous reports with credible information/photos/other evidence are received in an area where wolves are not known to already occupy, CPW biologists and district wildlife managers may use this information to prioritize further search efforts.”

 

Click here for the full story.

Large wolf pack spotted at icy kill site: Isle Royale Winter Study updates

From Michigan Live:

ISLE ROYALE, MI – A wolf pack lounging on the ice near the carcass of a big moose they’d killed a couple days earlier. A mother moose snacking on spruce, her summer-born calf by her side. A beautiful fox seen taking a few leftover tidbits from the wolves’ meal.

All these moments and more were captured recently by the research team conducting the annual Winter Study on Michigan’s Isle Royale. Each winter, teams of researchers fan out using skis, snowshoes and take to the air in a survey plane to observe and gather detailed information on the island’s growing wolf packs and its moose.

 

Click here for the full story.

Inslee grants petitioners’ appeal on wolf killings in Washington

From The Wenatchee World:

OLYMPIA — An appeal by environmental petitioners to Gov. Jay Inslee regarding the use of lethal action against gray wolves in Washington state was granted earlier this month.

The appeal overturned the denial of a petition by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission that aimed to make changes in the current law governing when wolves can be killed during conflict with livestock.

 

Click here for the full story.

Study finds Montanans are increasingly OK with wolves

From Montana Free Press:

Montanans are increasingly tolerant of wolves, according to newly released research from the University of Montana’s Human Dimensions Lab and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The study, first conducted in 2012 and repeated in 2017 and 2023, was designed to gauge Montana residents’ attitudes toward wolves and various aspects of wolf management. To conduct it, researchers sent a survey to 10,000 Montana residents who were separated into four categories: the general population, landowners with more than 160 acres of land, wolf hunting license holders, and deer and elk license holders.

 

Click here for the full story.