Here is something for all the nature lovers.

Andrew Wetzler is director of the Land & Wildlife Program at the NRDC. This Op-Ed originally appeared on the NRDC blog Switchboard. Wetzler contributed this article to LiveScience's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Tuesday marked the official end of the public comment period on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's proposed nation-wide regulation removing the gray wolf from the federal list of endangered species.

The proposed regulation is the culmination of the administration's push to finally strip every gray wolf in the country (outside of a small population in Arizona and New Mexico) of federal Endangered Species Act protections. If the Fish and Wildlife Service gets its way, not only will established wolf populations in states like Idaho and Minnesota continue to be unprotected, but any wolves who make it to other states — California, Maine, Utah or Colorado, for example — will also be completely at the mercy of local governments.

Some of those states may manage wolves wisely, but far more have shown a pattern of disturbing hostility to wolves and a complete aversion to wolf recovery. Just last week, news broke of a wolf killing "tournament" in Idaho. The Utah state legislature regularly appropriates hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money to private groups to lobby against any wolf protections. Wyoming has designated over 80 percent of the state a wolf "free fire zone," where wolves may be shot at any time of the year and in unlimited quantities. In Michigan, the state legislature has passed laws to bypass a popular referendum, which was almost certain to prohibit a public wolf hunt. And gray wolves that have made it to Maine have been shot by hunters, who claim they mistook the wolves for coyotes.

For all the success that the wolf has enjoyed in some parts of the country, there remain huge areas of suitable habitat for wolf populations to establish themselves in the lower-48 states. From the vast forests of northern New England, to the rich elk and deer habitat in Colorado, to northern California's forests and rugged mountains, true wolf recovery means restoring healthy wolf populations not to a tiny fraction of its suitable habitat, but as the Endangered Species Act right demands, to a "significant portion" of that range.

These wild areas cry out for a return of their wolves. As ecologists now recognize, the presence of wolves and other top-predators are a crucial part of restoring the health of our wild places. From vegetation near streams, to trout and beaver populations, to song birds, owls and foxes, we now know that the entire fabric of ecosystems are transformed and made more healthy, diverse and resilient when wolves are present.

Yet, despite this, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Obama administration have continued their inexorable march to strip wolves of the few federal protections they now enjoy. And I can't help but wonder, why? It's not a popular decision. Close to 1,000,000 comments have been filed with the administration opposing the delisting proposal.

It's not the science. As NRDC makes clear in our comment letter, the scientific evidence justifying the delisting of wolves, particularly in the Northeast is shaky at best. It's not the law. There are numerous legal problems with the delisting. And it's probably not politics. Unlike a few years ago, there are no vulnerable Democrats in the U.S. Senate demanding a wolf delisting. My money rests on bureaucratic inertia and a lack of vision. Regardless, I hope the administration sees the error of its ways. If not, NRDC and our conservation allies will be there to fight, every step of the way.

It's quite simple: the re-introduction of gray wolves has significantly impacted wildlife numbers in several western states, Idaho most significantly. And people traveling through Yellowstone talk about how the elk numbers are way down from just a few years back.

All of that translates into lost revenue for the states, specifically from non-residents. That is what is driving the issue. I have hunted Idaho five times, and I will tell you that elk are VERY hard to find anyway. We don't need competition from over 1000 wolves, and that is where the number is going if the protection is extended.

Kill them. Kill them all...

They were shot out for a reason the first time. If you want huntable deer, Elk and cattle to go to market the numbers have to be low.

Always I wonder WTF is wrong with people when it comes to wolf discussions. I am old enough to have hunted and trapped wolves. I flat out guarantee you that wolves are every bit as smart and wary as coyotes. The biggest difference is the wolves have a much stronger aversion to other wolves, coyotes, dogs and people. Because of that they are very reluctant to live where they don't have sufficient isolation. It's no accident that prior to their placement on the ESL they lived only in the remotest wildest places left in Minnesota. Remove them from protection and you will have wolves where they have habitat to support them. A wolf that's subject to a little pressure is a very, very difficult animal to trap or shoot. Treat them exactly like coyotes, and that could even include even a bounty where they are unwanted, and what you'll be left with is wolves living where they are appropriate and conditioned to avoid people.

Protect them and they learn there is little to fear from people and you have conflicts.

We're already seeing that hunting/trapping them is not so easy as it was the first year and it will only get harder. Just hunting and trapping has no more chance of eliminating them in favorable habitat than it does eliminating coyotes. Coyotes in forested areas like Minnesota are much, much more difficult than more open areas.

I haven't talked to Dave Mech in a long time, but I'd be willing to bet his opinion wouldn't be all that different.

there is no such thing as "disturbing hostility" to wolves....

Regarding the "Wolf Killing Tourney" in Idaho= No Wolves were killed. Tell a person anything?

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much stronger aversion to other wolves, coyotes, dogs and people. Because of that they are very reluctant to live where they don't have sufficient isolation

That old time BS from the pro wolf crowd develop from unrealistic studies on Isle Royal and true wilderness areas.

Wolves gladly live around people and only get scared when they are hunted, trapped hard. I seen many with in eye sight of a house. I have had them walk through my front yard.

Wis filled their wolf quota tags in a few weeks most of those were trapped.

The state trapper that I know personally has no trouble catching problem wolves. The few long line yote and fox trappers I know have to deal with releasing many of them each fall.

If put enough hunting and trapping pressure on them the stupidest and the ones that a hang around people get killed off only leaving those who have become smarter and hang out in more inaccessibly places left.

Leaving people with the idea that they need wilderness to survive. With out that pressure they well live in your back yard.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

much stronger aversion to other wolves, coyotes, dogs and people. Because of that they are very reluctant to live where they don't have sufficient isolation

That old time BS from the pro wolf crowd develop from unrealistic studies on Isle Royal and true wilderness areas.

Wolves gladly live around people and only get scared when they are hunted, trapped hard. I seen many with in eye sight of a house. I have had them walk through my front yard.

Wis filled their wolf quota tags in a few weeks most of those were trapped.

The state trapper that I know personally has no trouble catching problem wolves. The few long line yote and fox trappers I know have to deal with releasing many of them each fall.

If put enough hunting and trapping pressure on them the stupidest and the ones that a hang around people get killed off only leaving those who have become smarter and hang out in more inaccessibly places left.

Leaving people with the idea that they need wilderness to survive. With out that pressure they well live in your back yard.

Are you stupid or do you have a problem reading?

"A wolf that's subject to a little pressure is a very, very difficult animal to trap or shoot. Treat them exactly like coyotes, and that could even include even a bounty where they are unwanted, and what you'll be left with is wolves living where they are appropriate and conditioned to avoid people."

You wouldn't know BS if someone put it on your plate for lunch. Please read the words in quotes and tell us which of them you do not understand and we'll try to help you out.

quote:

reat them exactly like coyotes, and that could even include even a bounty where they are unwanted, and what you'll be left with is wolves living where they are appropriate and conditioned to avoid people."

Some times one should read farther down the post before commenting.

Treating them like coyotes means more the just a little pressure. It means open season on them 24/7 365 days a years in areas they are not wanted.

Then yes the stupid ones and those accustom to people well disappear.

A limited season like we have we well not do it.

As seen they well gladly live in areas they are not pressured.