Hope may be on the horizon for gray wolves in the Western U.S., as a federal judge recently ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to deny them Endangered Species Act protections last year was flawed and must be reconsidered, according to the Daily Montanan.
U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy found that the agency ignored key factors—including the most reliable scientific data on wolf populations, the full scope of the wolf’s range, and the inadequacy of existing state and federal regulations—when it opted not to extend protections to Western gray wolves. Because the agency failed to consider all evidence and gave too much weight to unreliable evidence, the court held that the agency must take another look at listing gray wolves as threatened or endangered.
This ruling follows lawsuits filed last year by multiple conservation coalitions aiming to compel the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore Endangered Species Act protections for the iconic species. The agency may challenge the decision by filing an appeal within 60 days.
“Wolves have yet to recover across the West, and allowing a few states to undertake aggressive wolf-killing regimes is inconsistent with the law,” Western Environmental Law Center Senior Attorney Matthew Bishop said. “We hope this decision will encourage the Service to undertake a holistic approach to wolf recovery in the West.”
Lady Freethinker thanks Judge Molloy and the dedicated conservationists whose efforts helped make this decision possible. This ruling is an essential step toward reinstating vital protections for gray wolves, and we urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to respond with action grounded in both science and compassion.
