Washington, DC – June 7, 2013, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) formally announced its proposal to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list throughout the lower 48 states (with the exception of the Mexican wolf population). The FWS’s monumental decision recognizes the gray wolf’s recovery resulting from state wildlife management and the participation of the hunting community. This achievement in conservation demonstrates the impact of successful science based efforts across the country.
“Safari Club International would like to thank the U.S. FWS and Director Dan Ashe for proposing this science-based delisting for the gray wolf,” said SCI Preside Craig Kauffman. “SCI stands prepared to go to court to ensure that when this decision is finalized it will not be hijacked by environmentalists who prefer endless legal battles to science-based management.”
Safari Club International has long supported the delisting of the gray wolf species and the return of wolf management to the individual states. States will manage their wolf populations in a proper balance with prey species and will also make certain that there is adequate wildlife available to hunters whose participation in wildlife management and conservation is essential to the conservation of both predator and prey species.
“SCI’s leadership recently met with the U.S. FWS, and we had a robust discussion on the delisting potential of wolves,” continued Kauffman. “We hope to continue to work with the Service and to defend their efforts to delist recovered species. By taking this important step in wolf conservation and management, the Service has demonstrated an understanding that placement on the endangered list need not be a permanent status for any species. Through the efforts of federal and state managers and the hunting community, the wolf story has had a very successful ending.”
