Wolf Watch: 2006 Promises to Be Big Year for Wolves in the United States
Jess Edberg, Information and Program Specialist

With arrival of the new year, it is common for folks to make resolutions and set goals they hope to fulfill by the next new year. Whether the goal is to avoid fatty foods or be nicer to others, it is usually a challenge that is not easily met without hard work and determination.

This year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and other wolf recovery managers have made a few resolutions of their own that will make 2006 a very influential year for wolves.

USFWS RESOLVES TO DELIST WOLVES

The USFWS has announced that in 2006 they would resume the process of removing wolves in the Great Lakes and the Northern Rockies from the endangered species list. Wolf populations in those areas exceeded recovery goals some time ago but past efforts to delist those populations were stalled by legal proceedings.

The USFWS hopes to initiate this process in early 2006 and complete it by the end of the year. First, USFWS will issue separate proposals to delist wolves in each of the two regions. Release of the proposals will be followed by a 90-day public comment period. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton will then approve or veto the proposals. If the proposals are approved, management of wolves will be handed over to state and tribal authorities. Full story.