|
On Thursday, a federal judge restored protections for gray wolves across much of the United States, overturning a last minute decision by the Trump administration to remove them from the Endangered Species List. In his ruling, Senior District Judge Jeffrey S. White in the Northern District of California found that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did not adequately consider threats to wolves outside of the Great Lakes and Northern Rocky Mountains where they have rebounded most significantly. Notably, the ruling does not apply to wolves in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and portions of several surrounding states.
The decision comes as hunters have decimated wolf populations throughout the country. This year alone, hunters killed more than 20% of Yellowstone's iconic wolves as they wandered outside of park boundaries, eliminating one of the park's wolf packs entirely. Last year, Wisconsin hunters killed at least 216 wolves in just 60 hours, far exceeding the state's quotas and enraging local tribes, which consider wolves sacred.
Reports of widespread wolf killings have gotten the attention of senior Biden administration officials. Last week, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland wrote that she was alarmed by reports out of Yellowstone and pledged that the Fish and Wildlife Service would evaluate whether to relist wolves in the Northern Rockies.
|
Moreover, a National Monument designation of Castner Range by President Biden would benefit marginalized communities, specifically indigenous and Latino peoples. These communities have been paramount to our military’s success, but disproportionately bear the brunt of climate impacts and traditionally have less access to nature. Additionally, designating Castner Range as a National Monument would stimulate the local economy through expanded outdoor recreational opportunities.”
