When will the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service delist wolves?
Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) the USFWS will delist wolves when the combined policies of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming provide an “adequate regulatory mechanism” to govern wolf management. To be “adequate” means to assure that if the states took over management, the wolves will be protected and maintained as a viable population sufficiently distributed among the 3 states. The USFWS interprets the ESA to mean that the 3 states have to provide wolf management plans and establish state laws that satisfactorily provide these protections. Currently, the states of Idaho and Montana have completed their plans and they were deemed acceptable by the USFWS. Wyoming’s plan was not acceptable to the Service, therefore delisting will be delayed until Wyoming makes adjustments to their plan. Other legal delays are anticipated as well. It will take at least a year to delist once Wyoming’s plan is accepted. What does state management mean for wolves? The state wolf plan requires that a minimum
