By Associated Press – 23 Sept ’14
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has reinstated federal protection for wolves in Wyoming, rejecting a state management plan that declared the animals unprotected predators in most of the state.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Tuesday issued an order siding with environmental groups that had argued Wyoming’s management plan afforded insufficient protection for the wolves.
Wyoming took over wolf management in late 2012 after the federal government ruled that wolves no longer needed protection through the Endangered Species Act. The state committed to maintain at least 100 wolves, including 10 breeding pairs, outside of Yellowstone and the Wind River Indian Reservation.
Montana lawyer Tim Preso of Earthjustice represented conservation groups in challenging Wyoming’s plan. Preso says Wyoming must develop a legitimate conservation plan that ensures a vibrant wolf population.
