The Fish and Wildlife Service rejected proposals Tuesday to narrow Endangered Species Act protections for certain gray wolf populations.
In a related pair of decisions, the agency dismissed one petition to designate and delist a “Western Great Lakes” wolf population. It also rejected a separate petition to designate a “West Coast States” gray wolf population and move its status from endangered to threatened while also removing ESA protections altogether from gray wolves in the remaining lower 48 states.
“The petitioners failed to present substantial information for us to conclude that the petitions, considered together, provide a valid approach for revising the current gray wolf listed entities,” the agency stated.
The companion petitions were filed last June by the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, Michigan Bear Hunters Association, Upper Peninsula Bear Houndsmen Association and Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association.
