Feds REMOVE Gray Wolves from Protection of Endangered Species Act
Adam Scepaniak 11.09.20
Many hunters, farmers, and ranchers across the United States have been tirelessly working to get Federal protections taken off of gray wolves for years and it appears that is finally being done. David Bernhardt, U.S. Interior Secretary, announced on October 29th, 2020 the long overdue plan to finally remove gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act effectively giving the management of wolves back to state and tribal leaders.
We previously reported on this last summer when an attempt was made to remove federal protections from gray wolves, but it eventually failed. This multi-year endeavor of restoring the decisions and rights back to a state level was first promised back in June 2018 by the Trump Administration. That verbal promise was then finally formalized and announced in March 2019. Giving states a chance to individually decide how these apex predators should be treated has been lauded as a success ever since.
There are now an estimated 6,000 gray wolves (sometimes called eastern or timber wolves) roaming in the Lower 48 states, including about 2,700 in Minnesota, more than 1,000 in Wisconsin and more than 500 in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. This places almost 1/2 of the gray wolves in the Lower 48 States in my home state of Minnesota. Craig Engwall, Executive Director of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association (MDHA), shared his thoughts on the matter:
“The wolf, in our minds, has met recovery goals for decades already. We fully support restoration of state management for wolves like they manage every other species.“
Personally, being a MN resident I have seen the negative effects of wolves on local whitetail deer populations and the detriment they can be to cattle farmers. What do you think of the decision to have gray wolves removed from the Federal protections of the Endangered Species Act? In places like Minnesota we could see a season on wolves as soon as Fall 2021. Let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
