As gray wolves have been protected and their numbers have grown in the lower 48 states over the past 50 years, questions and developments about the species have become more common.
Here are three things you should know about last week, two of which have bigger implications outside of Wisconsin and one involving state wolf hunting and trapping rules.
A new state program could benefit wolves in California and the Northeast
On Thursday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it would draft a new recovery plan for gray wolves listed under the Endangered Species Act.
The move is part of a settlement with the Center for Biological Diversity; under the agreement approved by a federal court, the draft plan must be completed within two years unless the agency determines “such a plan would not promote the conservation of the species.”
Wolf populations have recovered naturally in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in recent decades as wolves spread from their core populations in northeastern Minnesota, but most other areas within the United States’ historic range remain uninhabited.
Collette Adkins, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Carnivore Conservation Program and lead attorney on the case, said the eastern wolf population recovery plan, created in 1992, is woefully out of date.
“The new national recovery plan should improve prospects for wolves in other areas,” Adkins said. “We have been working hard to develop a new, comprehensive plan to guide gray wolf recovery, so we believe this agreement It’s a win for wolves. We’re glad it will bring (U.S. Wildlife Service) national attention.”
The agreement follows an earlier court ruling that found the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must develop recovery plans for its listed species and cannot rely on plans that are directly inconsistent with the Endangered Species Act. Subspecies Recovery Plan.
While it’s unclear how this process will play out, Adkins said it could benefit wolves in California, Colorado and the northeastern United States, where there are currently no programs to guide wolf recovery.
As part of the process of developing a national wolf recovery plan, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it will begin gathering interested parties to “promote the long-term conservation of wolves and address the concerns of diverse communities.”
The process will “include those who live with wolves and those who don’t live with wolves but want to know they have a place on the land”; it will be led by mediator Francine of Constructive Conflict LLC Francine Madden led a national conversation about gray wolves.
“By engaging Ms. Madden and her team, the Department intends to participate equally in this national conversation with citizens, tribes, states, environmental groups, livestock producers, hunters and other contributors,” the USFWS said in a statement. “This effort will help inform Service policy and future rulemaking regarding wolves.”
The announcement did not say when the group would first meet or who would be included.
Colorado begins wolf recovery
Wolf advocates cheered the release of five gray wolves in Colorado’s Grand County on Monday, the official launch of the state’s wolf recovery project.
The wolves were captured in Oregon and released on state land in Colorado; as many as five more may be brought to Colorado by March 2024 in the first phase of a multi-year recovery campaign.
“This is a historic moment that makes me proud to be a Coloradan,” said Kaitie Schneider, Rocky Mountain and Plains representative for Defenders of Wildlife. Living with wolves and other wildlife is a part of life in the West, and we have the tools we need to successfully restore this natural heritage. Now, we must let these wolves lead us toward Colorado’s first self-sustaining wolf pack in more than 80 years.
Colorado voters narrowly approved a 2020 ballot measure requiring state wildlife agencies to reintroduce gray wolves to the state. The agency has a deadline of Dec. 31 to bring the first wolves to Colorado.
The released wolves were wearing GPS collars that helped biologists track the animals. Colorado officials are negotiating with representatives from other states and tribal nations to determine where to look for wolves during the remainder of the three- to five-year reintroduction process, a strategy that could enhance genetic diversity.
Wisconsin Legislature reviews new Natural Resources Commission wolf hunting regulations
In Wisconsin on Tuesday, the Senate Financial Institutions and Sports Heritage Committee held a hearing on Clearinghouse Rule 23-047, the gray wolf hunting regulations.
The regulations were approved by the Natural Resources Council in October but are subject to legislative review.
The rules include faster reporting of wolf kills, an area-specific tagging system, protection of wolf dens and restrictions on dog training of wolves.
Because wolves in Wisconsin and most other states are currently protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, which prohibits hunting, trapping and other lethal management techniques, the new regulations cannot be implemented until the species is delisted. However, they must pass legislative review before being finalized.
The Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association and George Meyer registered or testified against the regulations on their own behalf.
If the Senate committee votes against the clearinghouse rule, the proposal will next be considered by the Joint Committee on Review of Administrative Rules. If JCRAR and the Legislature reject the rules, they will bring them to Gov. Tony Evers for final consideration.
Stay tuned for action on this and many other wolf-related projects in the new year.
#Gray #wolves #national #recovery #plan
Image Source : www.jsonline.com