Gray wolves need to be put back on endangered species list

by amyjudd | May 9, 2008 at 02:35 pm | 1252 views | 15 comments

A judge in Montana has refused to delay the federal government request that environmental and animal rights groups want to put gray wolves back on the endangered species list.

A federal judge in Montana has rejected a request by the government to delay a lawsuit seeking to place the gray wolf back on the endangered species list, saying he's "unwilling to risk more deaths."

At least 39 of the Northern Rockies' 1,500 gray wolves have been killed since they lost federal protection in March. That action placed wolves under the authority of state wildlife agencies in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.

The three states have relaxed rules for killing wolves that harass or harm livestock. The states are also planning public hunts later this year -- the first in decades.

Environmental and animal rights groups sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last week, claiming the loss of federal protection threatened the wolf's successful recovery. They also asked for a court injunction to restore federal control over wolves while the case is pending.

In rejecting the agency's request for a two-week extension in the case, U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy set a hearing for May 29 in Missoula.

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69Crzy

at 16:33 on May 9th, 2008

Keep them around forever.
They are so mysterious.......

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Uli1001

at 16:59 on May 9th, 2008

Wonderful animals, they just want to be left in peace.

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jppaladino@sbcglobal.net

at 17:15 on May 9th, 2008

A Wolf/Malamute mix. We cannot let this amazing animal be hunted out of existence.

jppaladino@sbcglobal.net has contributed a photo to this story.

Marti58

at 17:20 on May 9th, 2008

A safe place for animals should be in the wild .......i think its a horrible thought that my grand grand children will only know wildlife by pictures or in Zoo's instead of free in Free Nature.

TheKittyLover42

at 17:41 on May 9th, 2008

This wolf was one of pair at Busch Gardens, Virginia. She had just settled into the grass for a nap. Several children were trying to get them to howl, but wolves in capitivity stop howling altogether because it's a territorial behavior and in capitivity, they are no longer challenged for terriorty. It would be ashame to lose that fantastic, signature sound of the wild.

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jaylarson

at 19:30 on May 9th, 2008

East towards the Lower Falls in Yellowstone NP, Wyoming. One hour south of Montana.

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weges

at 09:20 on May 10th, 2008

Gray wolves in a Animal park in Weilburg-Germany... looks better in freedom!

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pricklysarah

at 16:05 on May 10th, 2008

It's amazing to see these animals in a safari park, but the thought of them dwindling in the wild is heartbreaking. Keep them free lets not destroy yet another remarkable creature.

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ngo_hoainam

at 02:57 on May 11th, 2008

cool right?

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mclinger

at 22:38 on May 11th, 2008

This picture was taken in Yellowknife, NT Canada less than a half mile from homes.

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iltun

at 08:07 on May 12th, 2008

Wildpark Silz /Germany

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Chad Posick

at 12:14 on May 12th, 2008

Hiking through Denali National Park in Alaska we spotted a pack of Grey Wolves checking out a caribou carcass. This one wandered closer to us and I was able to snap a spur of the moment shot before it ran off.

Chad Posick has contributed a photo to this story.

sgamirco

at 16:06 on May 14th, 2008

I took this picture during a vacation in BC Canada.

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Idaho Native (not verified)

at 20:13 on July 18th, 2008

You people just do not understand. We do not want to kill all of the wolves. We would just like to get rid of the ones that come to close to our houses. They pose a great danger to pets, livestock (source of income for many) and especially our children. Having wild predators running around near where you live is about the same as having muggers and murderers in the city. It is not safe to let your children go outside. We just want to be able to protect our families and our animals. We enjoy having them in the remote mountains and wilderness areas just the same as we have mountain lions and bears. But if a mountain lion or bear comes to close to the town or city they can be removed by the State. Why should it be any different with wolves which are far more dangerous because they usually travel in packs. Idaho wants to kill 500 wolves because that is about how many pose a threat to us, not because we want to anhiliate all of them. The numbers are way beyond the requirement for delisting, and likely under estimate the actual numbers. I am sure that there were once predators living where many of you now live. They were driven out by developmet just the same as other animals. Deer, elk and bison used to live all over, not just in the mountains. You can bet that the wolves and other predators lived where they did because that is their source of food. So until we start tearing down your houses and cities in your state.......you don't have any business telling us what to do with ours.

Bruce Hemming (not verified)

at 23:05 on July 21st, 2008

Want to know what living with wolves is all about? You have to see this new documentary titled Undue Burden.

http://www.prosts.com/Documentary-Undue-Burden.htm

A must see for every hunter, rancher, hiker, and nature lover.