Only wolf hunting allowed in Europe. EU won’t review protection status of other predators

From EUNews.it:

Brussels – The wolf is the only species that poses a danger to humans and their activities. Risks of a different nature do not exist and, therefore, “The Commission does not intend to propose amendments to the international or EU legal protection status of species other than the wolf.”

This statement was made clear by Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall in her response to MEPs concerned about what the EU executive might do in the wake of the decision to reopen the hunting season against wolves for personal and personalistic reasons.

Click here for the full story.

Colorado senator says divide between wolf advocates and ranchers has ‘never been greater’

From Coloradoan.com:

State Democratic Sen. Dylan Roberts didn’t hold back when each panelist at the outset of Colorado Public Radio’s panel discussion in Loveland was asked what is and isn’t working with Colorado wolf restoration.

Roberts, whose district covers much of western Colorado where wolves have been reintroduced the last two years, said what’s worked is there are 29 wolves in Colorado. His what’s-not-working answer made it painfully obvious why continued struggles lie ahead for the reintroduction of wolves made possible by the passage of Proposition 114 in 2020.

Click here for the full story.

Opportunity ends wolf bounty, as money is spent [Canada]

From TheSpec.com:

During budget, the M.D. of Opportunity considered not having a wolf bounty in 2025, partly because in 2024 only one person brought in wolf pelt. However, in the first six weeks of 2025, all but $250 of the $10,000 budget was paid out. This means that 39 wolf pelts have been brought to the M.D. as proof that they were killed on M.D. land. The hunter or trapper then sells the pelts into the fur trade or uses the fur themselves.

Click here for the full story.

 

[Idaho] Federal judge upholds ruling that shortened wolf trapping season

From BoisePublicRadio.org:

A federal magistrate has upheld a previous decision to prohibit trapping and snaring wolves during certain seasons.

The initial lawsuit was filed by Earthjustice, an environmental nonprofit.

Ben Scrimshaw, a Senior Associate Attorney with Earthjustice, said the decision to limit the recreational wolf trapping season to times when grizzly bears are hibernating will help protect the bears.

Click here for the full story.

2026 ballot measure that would overturn Colorado wolf reintroduction clears first hurdle

From ColoradoSun.com:

A ballot measure in 2020 directed the state to restore wolves. Now a group wants to use the same tool to end the project that has reintroduced 25 gray wolves in Colorado.

Click here for the full story.

Gray wolf shot in southeastern Minnesota’s Fillmore County

From OutdoorNews.com:

On Saturday, Jan. 11, the Minnesota DNR received a TIP that a gray wolf had been illegally shot and killed in southeastern Minnesota’s Fillmore County, several miles north of the Iowa-Minnesota border, according to a DNR incident report.

The report states that the gray wolf was illegally shot by 21-year-old hunter Lucas Heusinkveld, of Spring Valley, who was hunting coyotes in early January.

Click here for the full story.

UPDATE | Trump Pick For U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service Director Controversial

From NationalParksTraveler.org:

President Trump’s choice of a former director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to head the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is generating controversy, with the National Wildlife Federation calling Brian Nesvik a solid choice while the Center For Biological Diversity views him as a threat to the Endangered Species Act. The Endangered Species Coalition called the nomination a declaration of “war on wildlife.”

The nomination, however, gained praise from Wyoming politicians and even the Wyoming Wildlife Federation. Nesvik, who retired in 2024, must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Click here for the full story.

Groups take legal action to protect wolves from looser hunting rules [EU]

From Politico.eu:

A group of nongovernmental organizations will go to court to seek to reverse European Union member countries’ decision to downgrade the protection status of the wolf.

The decision by EU countries, which is yet to be legislated, would make it easier for farmers to shoot the large carnivore in cases of attacks.

Five conservation groups are taking their case to the EU’s top court in Luxembourg alleging that the decision by the Council of the EU was not in line with existing EU environmental legislation and therefore a breach of the bloc’s treaties, they announced Wednesday.

Click here for the full story.

Why growing population of wolves is ‘tiresome’ for Denmark

From TheLocal.dk:

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday that the growing number of wolves in Denmark is causing concern.

Answering questions in parliament, the PM admitted that the presence of wolves near smaller local communities is “tiresome” or træls, to use the colloquial Danish term favoured by the PM (which has a range of English translations). She added more regulation is needed.

Click here for the full story.

Government greenlights nationwide hunt to cut apex predator population in half: ‘We are concerned’ [Sweden]

From TheCoolDown.com:

With lax regulations and an annual hunting quota, the animals are just barely getting by. The Swedish government has put in motion a plan to halve the country’s population of endangered wolves, outraging conservationists.

What happened? As Mongabay detailed, the Swedish government permitted a hunt in January that allowed for the killing of 30 endangered wolves. According to the Guardian, there were 375 recorded individuals before the hunt. Despite records that the population dropped around 20% in 2022-23, the government announced the intention to reduce numbers further.

Click here for the full story.