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USFWS responds to wolf petitions

St. Paul - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken a step forward in possibly removing federal protections for gray wolves in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
In a news release on Tuesday, the agency announced that four petitions to remove Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in those states contain substantial information that delisting may be warranted.
"Based on our review, we find that the petitions present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that removing the gray wolf in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan from the list may be warranted," the USFWS said in a Federal Register entry on Tuesday. "Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a review of the status of the species to determine if delisting in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan is warranted."
Minnesota in March petitioned the USFWS to remove federal protections for wolves and return management authority to the state. Wisconsin did so in April. State officials were pleased, if not surprised, by the finding.
"It's a positive step, but they haven't made a finding on moving forward with delisting," said Ed Boggess, DNR Fish and Wildlife Division deputy director.
The two other petitions were from the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, and Safari Club International with the National Rifle Association.
"We are pleased the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has found merit in the Wisconsin and Minnesota petitions to remove the gray wolf from the federal endangered species list in our states," Wisconsin DNR Secretary Matt Frank said in a statement. "This is a positive first step to eventual delisting. We are confident the upcoming review of scientific information will show Wisconsin has a healthy and growing population of gray wolves that no longer needs federal protection and that the state has a well reasoned and scientifically valid management plan in place for wolves."
Two times - most recently in 2009 - the USFWS has tried to delist wolves in Minnesota and the Great Lakes region, but on both occasions court challenges led to wolves being returned to federal protection.
The USFWS is soliciting information from state and federal natural resource agencies, and other interested parties, until Nov. 15.