Thursday, January 15, 2009

Wolf Delisted in Montana Hopefully by Jan 27

PUT ON HOLD BY THE NEW ADMINISTRATION 1/22/2008
Montana wildlife officials today welcomed the second effort to remove the Rocky Mountain gray wolf from the federal list of threatened and endangered species. Wolf conservation and management in Montana will become the full responsibility of the state when the decision takes effect 30 days after its publication in the Federal Register.

The federal delisting decision includes wolves in the western Great Lakes region, Montana and Idaho, but not Wyoming, where wolves will remain classified as a nonessential experimental population under Endangered Species Act rules. The delisting decision is expect to be published in the Federal Register on Jan. 27, but federal officials also noted that the new Presidential administration, set to take office Jan. 20, has the prerogative to review and reconsider new federal proposals.

Upon delisting, wolves throughout Montana will become reclassified under state law as a species in need of management, which also offers wolves legal protection much like other managed wildlife.For instance, upon delisting wolves could only be purposely killed legally during an official hunting season; when a wolf is killing, attacking or harassing livestock; and to protect human life, Maurier said. With delisting, the flexibility to protect livestock and domestic dogs is provided in Montana law. Similar to lions and black bears, a wolf seen actively biting, wounding, chasing, harassing, or attacking livestock or domestic dogs could be killed. Such incidents must be reported to FWP in 72 hours.

The new flexibility, however, may soon face additional court challenges. Several groups say they will closely scrutinize the second federal delisting decision and may renew legal challenges to block it. "If this decision is challenged, FWP will again participate in the litigation and will work to uphold and defend the delisting decision," Joe Maurier Acting Director of of MFWP.

Pending legal challenges may also affect the sale of hunting licenses for a 2009 wolf-hunting season previously adopted by Montana’s FWP Commission. Officials said none would be offered for sale until Montana is assured a wolf-hunting season could occur.

Nevertheless, the recovery of the wolf in the northern Rockies remains one of the fastest endangered species comebacks on record. In the mid 1990s, to hasten the overall pace of wolf recovery in the Northern Rockies, 66 wolves were released into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho. The minimum recovery goal for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains was set at a minimum of 30 breeding pairs—successfully reproducing wolf packs—and a minimum of 300 individual wolves for at least three consecutive years and well distributed throughout the recovery area. The goal was achieved in 2002, and the wolf population has increased every year since. The northern Rockies "metapopulation" is comprised of wolf populations in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. About 1,500 wolves, with about 100 breeding pairs, live in the region, where wolves can travel about freely to join existing packs or form new packs. This, combined with wolf populations in Canada and Alaska, assures genetic diversity. About 420 wolves inhabited Montana, in 73 packs and 39 breeding pairs at the end of 2007, Maurier said. The population is expected to be close to that level when 2008 minimum estimates are finalized. FWP has led wolf management under the federal guidelines since 2004. Delisting allows Montana to manage wolves in a manner similar to how bears, mountain lions and other wildlife species are managed, guided by state management plans, administrative rules, and laws. "The recent recovery of wolves, grizzly bears, peregrine falcons, and bald eagles are each remarkable American wildlife conservation success stories," Maurier said. "To ensure their future, Montanans will continue to need the financial support of the American people who have long looked to Montana to provide habitats and careful management for these nationally important wildlife species."

To learn more about Montana’s wolf population, visit FWP online at fwp.mt.gov . Click Montana Wolves.

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