USA: Wolves may need to be protected again

The Biden administration said on Wednesday, September 15, 2021, that federal protection for gray wolves in the western United States may need to be restored.

Republican legislation makes killing easier

This comes after Republican-backed state laws have significantly facilitated the killing of predators.

The initial finding by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that the wolves in the region could once again be at risk — after decades spent restoring populations — will be the precursor to a year-long biological review.

The Humane Society of the U.S., the Center for Biological Diversity, and other groups had filed legal petitions urging federal authorities to intervene.

The Fish and Wildlife Service said on Wednesday that the petitions provided credible and substantial information that the increased human-caused mortality in Idaho and Montana could pose a threat to wolves throughout the entire western region.

Montana governor himself caught in wolf trap

««We don’t need Washington questioning our science-based approach», said Governor Gianforte in a statement.

Gianforte had trapped and killed a wolf near Yellowstone National Park in February. He later received a warning from wildlife authorities for failing to complete a mandatory trapper training course.

Native American tribes demand emergency protection

Dozens of Native American tribes asked the Biden administration on Tuesday to immediately issue nationwide emergency protections for gray wolves, as states had become too aggressive in their recreational hunting of the animals.

In Idaho, where there are an estimated 1,500 wolves, a law was passed this year, among other things, that provides the state with funds to hire private contractors to kill the animals. The law also allows hobby hunters to use night-vision devices, hunt wolves on snowmobiles or ATVs, and shoot them from helicopters.

In Montana, state wildlife authorities approved a harvest quota of 450 wolves last month, equivalent to approximately 40% of the population. Previously prohibited killing methods are now permitted, including trapping wolves with snares, baiting, and night hunting of wolves.