RMJfA- Denver Post item - Thursday, 5/5/11

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U.S. TO LIFT PROTECTIONS FOR GRAY WOLVES IN N. ROCKIES
(Photo): A pack of gray wolves roams snow-covered Isle Royale Natl. Park in northern Michigan. Besides the northern Rockies, about 4,200 gray wolves in the western Great Lakes are expected to lose their Endangered Species Act protections.
 
by Matthew Brown - AP
     Billings, MT ... The Obama administration on Wednesday moved to lift Endangered Species Act protections for 5,500 gray wolves in the northern Rockies and Great Lakes, drawing the line on the predators' rapid expansion over the past two decades.  Public hunts for hundreds of wolves already are planned this fall in Idaho and Montana.  Conservationists have hailed the animal's recovery from near extinction as a landmark achievement. But their return has stirred a backlash from agriculture and sporting groups angry over wolf attacks on livestock and big-game herds.  Many biologists say wolves recovered to sustainable levels a decade ago in some parts of the lower 48 states. But it took a rider to the federal budget bill inserted by Western lawmakers to overcome years of lawsuits and lift protections for 1,300 wolves in the northern Rockies.  The rider barred any courtroom challenges and marked the first time Congress has removed an animal listed under the endangered act. Protections for the Rockies wolves are to be lifted effective with a notice today in the Federal Register.  About 4,200 wolves listed as threatened in the western Great Lakes also are slated to lose protections. That could happen by the end of this year, following the review of public comments received on the proposal over the next two months.  "From a biological perspective, gray wolves have recovered," said Interior Secy. Ken Salazar. "That is a remarkable milestone for an iconic American species."  But Noah Greenwald, with the Center for Biological Diversity, disagreed. "In our view, wolf recovery is not done," he said. "We're disappointed with seeing the Fish and Wildlife Service attempt to get out from under it."  In addition to hunts, officials say, wolves that attack livestock will continue to be removed by wildlife agents. Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin have plans meant to keep the populations at healthy levels while allowing government agents to kill animals that can't be driven away.  Wednesday's announcement leaves the fate of about 340 wolves in Wyoming unresolved. Wyoming was left out of attempts to restore state control over wolves because of a state law that would allow the animals to be shot on sight in most of the state.