Grey wolves in Rockies 'no longer endangered'
Grey wolves are no longer listed as endangered in the Rocky mountains
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Friday, 22, Feb 2008 04:21
Grey wolves in the Rocky mountains have been removed from the endangered species list in the US, the country's interior department has announced.
The decision was made after numbers of the species began to thrive, with more than 1,500 wolves and at least 100 breeding pairs in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.
This surpasses the recovery goal for wolves in the northern Rocky mountains of 30 breeding pairs and a minimum of 300 individual wolves for at least three consecutive years.
Their recovery is due to a conservation effort which involved a number of agencies.
"The wolf population in the northern Rockies has far exceeded its recovery goal and continues to expand its size and range," said deputy secretary of the interior Lynn Scarlett.
"States, tribes, conservation groups, federal agencies and citizens of both regions can be proud of their roles in this remarkable conservation success story."
State management plans will ensure a secure future for the wolf population once their protection under the Endangered Species Act is removed.
"With hundreds of trained professional managers, educators, wardens and biologists, state wildlife agencies have strong working relationships with local landowners and the ability to manage wolves for the long-term," said Lyle Laverty, assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks.
"We're confident the wolf has a secure future in the northern Rocky mountains and look forward to continuing to work closely with the states as we monitor the wolf population for the next five years."
Grey wolves were previously listed as endangered in the lower 48 states, except in Minnesota where they were listed as threatened.
In 2007 the wolf population in the western Great Lakes was de-listed.
Species found outside the Rocky mountain and Midwest recovery areas remain protected under the Endangered Species Act.