States in the Great Lakes will have to wait to resume state management over their grey wolf populations as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) officially placed that population back under Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection.
The final rule from FWS concerning the “relisting” of the Great Lakes wolves was issued and made effective on September 16. This represents yet another turn in what has already been a long story of listings, de-listings, and lawsuits.
The Great Lakes wolf population was removed from protection under ESA by the FWS. This action, proposed by the outgoing Bush Administration and then reaffirmed by the new Obama Administration, initially returned the management of wolf populations to the states (in this case Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin).
However, a group of antis, including the Humane Society of the United States, filed a lawsuit to block the delisting in June. While the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) was preparing to intervene in the case with its legal arm, the FWS reached a settlement with the antis that put wolves back on the Endangered Species List. The September 16 final rule is the culmination of that process.
This entire situation was the result of the Department of Interior’s not following proper procedures for delisting during the final weeks of the Bush Administration. Currently, USSA is working with the FWS on another delisting, because science has shown the populations have significantly passed the benchmarks established for recovery.
