“Wolves are back,” explained Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett in a telephone conference call with reporters. “Gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains are thriving and no longer need protection.”
Wyoming U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Mike Enzi both had positive comments about the move.
“After years of struggle and debate, common sense and sound science are finally prevailing,” Barrasso said. “This is an issue that directly affects the lives of Wyoming ranchers, energy producers and sportsmen. It directly impacts Wyoming livestock and wildlife.”
“The interest groups and bureaucrats advocating keeping the animal on the list wouldn’t know a gray wolf if it blew their house down.” Barrasso added.
Enzi worked with the Department of Interior, the Wyoming Legislature and Gov. Dave Freudenthal on Wyoming’s wolf plan. Enzi said the delisting is the result of diligence on everyone’s part.
“This is what can happen when you put determined people in a room. Decisions are made and actions can be taken that don’t leave anybody out. The Wyoming Game and Fish knows Wyoming’s wildlife … Wyoming ranchers can now work directly with Wyoming game managers. The presence of the federal government often adds a layer of complexity and distance,” Enzi said. “This action should serve the needs of Wyoming residents more directly. That is unless this issue is dragged into the courts.” It looks as if the courts are exactly where the issue is going next. A coalition of wildlife and environmental groups plan a lawsuit to challenge the delisting. The coalition claims that delisting is premature and severely threatens the gray wolf’s existence.
Calling state management “woefully inefficient,” Defenders of Wildlife President Rodger Schlickeisen described the state management plans as “designed to lead only to the dramatic decline and need for quick relisting of the wolf. That's not in anyone's best interest."
"Given the tremendous public support and resources spent to reintroduce the wolf to the northern Rockies, it makes no sense to allow wholesale killing of wolves in the region and polarize the issue even more deeply with this one-sided plan," said Suzanne Stone, northern Rockies wolf conservation specialist for Defenders of Wildlife. "Instead we need a balanced solution based on science that also addresses the needs of ranchers, wildlife supporters, and hunters."
For more Daily news click here and look under 'Breaking News'
