USSA and Others Seek Great Lakes Wolf Delisting
(Columbus)
- Today, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) and other national and state
based groups filed a formal
petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to remove the
Western Great Lakes wolves from the Endangered Species List.
The
petition incorporates information regarding the wolves’ population status from
similar petitions filed by the Departments of Natural Resources in Minnesota
and Wisconsin in March and April, 2010. This information includes
population numbers of 3,000 wolves now present in Minnesota, 460-500 in
Wisconsin and 430 in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. This is a significant
increase in wolf population from the 1970s, when they were placed under
Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection.
Once
removed from ESA list, the wolves would still be protected under the management
plans of each state.
“The
numbers of wolves throughout the region have clearly recovered and it is time
for the states to regain their rightful management authority,” said Rob Sexton,
USSA vice president for government affairs. “Though it’s already been a
long road, the USSA and our partners remain committed to ensuring that this
delisting happens.”
Joining
the USSA in filing the petition are the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association,
Dairyland Committee of Safari Club International Chapters of Wisconsin,
National Wild Turkey Federation of Wisconsin, Whitetails of Wisconsin and
Wisconsin Firearms Owners, Ranges, Clubs and Educators Inc.
Two
previous efforts by FWS to delist the Western Great Lakes gray wolves were
reversed as a result of lawsuits filed by anti-hunting groups and some
procedural mistakes made by the FWS in the waning days of the Bush
Administration.
The
U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and
sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and
trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through
public education programs. |