In late July, a coalition of 70 conservation, Indigenous and animal welfare groups filed a petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to relist the gray wolf as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.
“This petition gives Secretary [Deb] Haaland and Interim Director [Martha] Williams a legal and scientific blueprint for restoring federal protections and counteracting the irresponsible state policies in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming,” said Erik Molvar, executive director of Western Watersheds Project.
The petition claims multiple threats face wolves in the West, including unregulated hunting in several states; poaching, genetic problems as a result of low population levels; fragmented habitats; and disease outbreaks.
