From the Mackinac Center for Public Policy:
Few issues can provoke as intense or immediate passion as removing protections for an animal under the Endangered Species Act — also known as delisting — or the conservation of charismatic megafauna — large, easily recognizable plant or animal species. The decision to delist Michigan’s gray wolf population, and to transfer their management back into the hands of the states, hits both of those sensitive areas.
Wolves are native to Michigan, and they were once found throughout the state. But aggressive predator control programs in the 19th and 20th centuries, including a state-paid bounty, caused them to nearly die out. To stave off extirpation, or their total loss in Michigan, wolves were placed under full state protections, and they also were listed under the federal Endangered Species Act in 1973.
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Michigan, Oregon AGs say feds improperly delisted gray wolves
From MLive.com:
LANSING, MI — Attorneys general in Michigan and Oregon have filed a joint amicus brief in litigation against the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), which alleges the federal government improperly removed gray wolf endangered species protection.
In a July 23 filing in U.S. District Court in Northern California, the two attorneys general argue that FWS unlawfully removed gray wolves from the endangered species list in January during the final weeks of the Trump administration.
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‘An abomination’: the story of the massacre that killed 216 wolves in Wisconsin
From The Guardian in the UK:
The woods were full of the sounds of snowmobiles and baying hounds. A group of perhaps a dozen hunters had gathered to give chase to big game along a frozen creek in north-eastern Wisconsin.
Hound hunting, chiefly for black bear and coyote, is a popular pastime in this part of the state. But the houndsman who emerged from the hemlocks onto a snowy road around twilight held a different kind of trophy.
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Colorado voters spoke, but ranchers remain wary of wolf reintroduction
From the Colorado Springs Gazette:
When Colorado voters approved the reintroduction of gray wolves in 2020, livestock owners were promised fair compensation for damages and deaths to their animals caused by wolves.
But if Colorado mirrors the experiences of livestock owners in states like Idaho and Washington, ranchers around the state fear that promise may be hollow.
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Secretary Haaland Declines Comment as Tribal Film Builds Momentum for Wolf Protections to be Reinstated
From NativeNewsOnline.net:
WASHINGTON — “It is abundantly clear that since protections were removed, states have accelerated policies which threaten decades of successful wolf recovery efforts across the country. Please join us in urging Secretary Haaland to revisit the decision to delist Gray Wolves,” closes a letter to fellow lawmakers from Members of Congress Donald Beyer, Jr., Raul Grijalva, and Peter DeFazio.
The Congressmen’s letter reflects many of the positions highlighted in “Family,” the short film produced by the Global Indigenous Council. Directed by Rain (“Say Her Name”/”Somebody’s Daughter“) and narrated by Crystle Lightning (“Trickster”/”Yellowstone”), in its first week of release “Family” generated over 170,000 views across multiple platforms.
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Managing Michigan’s: Wolves Is it time to reinstate a hunt?
From the Mackinac Center for Public Policy:
Few issues can provoke as intense or immediate passion as removing protections for an animal under the Endangered Species Act — also known as delisting — or the conservation of charismatic megafauna — large, easily recognizable plant or animal species. The decision to delist Michigan’s gray wolf population, and to transfer their management back into the hands of the states, hits both of those sensitive areas.
Wolves are native to Michigan, and they were once found throughout the state. But aggressive predator control programs in the 19th and 20th centuries, including a state-paid bounty, caused them to nearly die out. To stave off extirpation, or their total loss in Michigan, wolves were placed under full state protections, and they also were listed under the federal Endangered Species Act in 1973.
Click here for the full story.
Status of Wisconsin Wolf Population Discussed
From wxpr.org in Wisconsin:
The Department of Natural Resources’ Wolf Management Plan Committee addressed the condition of Wisconsin’s wolf population Thursday.
During the meeting, DNR Large Carnivore Specialist Randy Johnson showed a map showing wolves well established in northern Wisconsin.
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Colorado: Wolf restoration listening session coming to Gunnison on July 22
From the Ark Valley Voice in Colorado:
Wolves aren’t yet permanent residents in Central Colorado, even though a pack has been documented in the far northwest corner of the state. Before wolves arrive in the area, the public will have an opportunity to provide feedback, share their opinions, and ask questions.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and Keystone Policy Center will host a listening session from 5 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 22 in Gunnison.
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Mexico: Birth of Chapultepec wolf pups gives boost to breeding program
From MexicoNewsDaily.com:
The birth of five gray wolf pups at Mexico City’s Chapultepec Zoo in early April marked another step in the efforts to reintroduce the endangered species back into the wild.
The three males and two females are part of a four-decade, bi-national breeding program between the United States and Mexico.
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Opponents of controversial Idaho wolf law say they’ll sue state over the legislation
From the Idaho Statesman:
Several conservation groups announced Monday that they intend to sue Idaho over the state’s controversial wolf law passed earlier this year, which the groups say could put other endangered species at risk.
A news release from the Center for Biological Diversity said it would join nine other groups in suing Idaho if it does not repeal a law passed in May that expands wolf hunting and trapping opportunities. The other organizations listed in the notice of intent are Footloose Montana, Friends of the Clearwater, International Wildlife Coexistence Network, Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment, Sierra Club, Trap Free Montana Public Lands, Western Watersheds Project, Wilderness Watch and Wolves of the Rockies.
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DNA assay aids in identifying and protecting North American wolves, coyotes
From sciencedaily.com:
Forensics specialists can use a commercial assay targeting mitochondrial DNA to accurately discriminate between wolf, coyote and dog species, according to a new study from North Carolina State University. The genetic information can be obtained from smaller or more degraded samples, and could aid authorities in prosecuting hunting jurisdiction violations and preserving protected species.
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