Guardian - Obama Administration On Verge Of Ending All Gray Wolf Protections In Lower 48

[hatrack]

The Obama administration was on Friday on the verge of lifting protection for grey wolves across most of the country, ending a 20-year effort to bring the animals back to their historic range.

The move would withdraw protection in all lower 48 states for an iconic animal which is seen by its defenders as a symbol of the wide open spaces of the Rocky Mountain West – and by cattle ranchers as a plague on their herds. Only a small population of about 75 Mexican gray wolves, in Arizona and New Mexico, would remain under federal government protection, according to the Los Angeles Times, which obtained a draft of the rule. The US Fish and Wildlife Service told reporters the new rule was still under review, and would be open for public comment.

The decision had been expected for some time. After being hunted into extinction at the beginning of the 20th century, as an official government policy, wolf populations had rebounded in states like Montana, Idaho and Wyoming after the species was re-introduced. The Obama administration ended protections for wolves in those states in 2011, because of the strong recovery.

The federal government also allowed hunting in the Rocky Mountain West – leading to the death last year of 10 wolves in the area around the Yellowstone national park, including seven which were wearing radio collars. One of those was the Alpha Female No 6, arguably the most photographed wolf. The administration continued to monitor pack populations, and was prepared to reintroduce protections if needed.

EDIT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/apr/26/grey-wolves-wolf-protection-end-obama

[mrdmk]

1. They are prepared to reintroduce protections if needed

Right, after fifty 5 year studies would they reintroduce the protections.

[neverforget]

2. Obviously nothing was learned in their disappearance from the lower 48.

[lunasun]

3. Defenders of Wildlife have a petion

https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2579&s_src=3WDW1307GHTXX&s_subsrc=wolf_delisting_blog_post
Tell Secretary of Interior Sally Jewel no

[villager]

4. More failure and betrayal from this administration

n/t

[stuntcat]

5. yep, and I'm a one-issue voter

But I didn't have anyone else to vote for.
Well I also don't have any hope....

[villager]

6. Well, everything else is subsumed to the "one issue" of "the environment"

Our corrupt media and political caste are just unable to acknowledge it.

Yet.

And then they do... it will doubtless be too late....

[gejohnston]

7. I hope he doesn't

I thought they were limited to NW Wyoming, but saw one in the SW part of the state.