Conservation groups argued in the U.S. District Court on Nov. 12 that Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections should be restored to gray wolves across most of the country.
The lawsuit does not cover wolves in the Rocky Mountains area, as they have not had protections for years. The groups said state-sponsored hunts could harm the gray wolf’s recovery in the West and Midwest, while federal agencies say wolf numbers will be able to recover, even if they drop from hunting.
Enviros also argued wolves were not properly classified under the ESA before they lost their protected status. The issue at hand is derived from federal officials announcing in September they would consider if protections should be restored in western states as a result of loosened hunting rules in Idaho and Montana.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White did not issue an immediate ruling.
