Wyoming’s Congressional Delegation is drafting legislation that would remove wolves from the endangered species list in the state.
Montana and Idaho had their wolves de-listed via federal legislation and U.S. Senator Mike Enzi says the delegation is gathering support for its own bill. The proposed legislation would put Wyoming’s wolf management plan into law. That plan allows wolves to be shot on sight in most of the state.
While a federal judge recently restored federal protections for the Wyoming wolves, Enzi says she admitted that the state plan was working.
“The judge who made the ruling even said yes there are more wolves since Wyoming managed it, there are more mating pairs since Wyoming managed it, and there are less conflicts with wild game, and with humans and cattle. If the system’s working, you let it work.”
Enzi says that Senators from other states who are also interested in de-listing wolves say they will support the legislation. Enzi predicts that there will be others who will support the bill.
“Plus I think Fish and Wildlife will join us because they don’t have any money to manage the wolves in Wyoming, since it was given to Wyoming. So it’ll be a money problem plus just pure logic.”
Enzi says Wyoming’s management plan was working and it’s time to take the issue out of the courts.
