Wolves to lose protected status
Federal officials want species off Rockies endangered list
Associated Press, Journal Sentinel staff
Posted: Feb. 21, 2008
Billings, Mont. - Gray wolves in the northern Rockies will be removed from the endangered species list after a 13-year restoration effort that helped the animal's population soar, federal officials said Thursday.
An estimated 1,500 wolves now roam Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. That represents a dramatic turnaround for a predator that was largely exterminated in the continental United States in the early 20th century.
"We're confident the wolf has a secure future in the northern Rocky Mountains," Interior Assistant Secretary Lyle Laverty said in a statement.
The loss of federal protection allows the three states to move forward with plans allowing hunters to target the animals, possibly as soon as this fall.
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