Wyoming’s wolf management plan has been rejected by a federal court.
It means that federal protections will be re-instated for gray wolves in Wyoming. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson sided with environmental groups who say that Wyoming’s management plan that allows wolves to be shot on sight in most of the state, does not provide enough protection for wolves.
Wyoming had agreed to maintain 100 wolves and ten breeding pairs outside of Yellowstone and the Wind River Reservation. Under that agreement the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to de-list the species. Earthjustice Attorney Tim Preso says the plan did not guarantee enough protections.
“I think Wyoming operated pretty moderately during the course of this litigation and that’s laudable. But what we’ve seen in other states is as soon as the threat of listing was pulled away we saw conservation measures also pulled away.”
Preso says that happened in Idaho. State officials will review the ruling.