WDNR Secretary Stepp: Wisconsin urgently needs wolf delisting
Does not support recent federal two wolf species proposal
MADISON Wisconsins continued support for removing the gray wolf from the federal endangered species list in the upper Great Lakes states and Wisconsins disagreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services conclusion that a newly discovered species, the eastern wolf, exists in the Western Great Lakes as a separate species, was conveyed in a letter signed by DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp to federal officials (pdf; 64 kb) this week.
Farmers and dog owners are suffering intolerable losses from depredating wolves, said Stepp.
We want to restate our strong disagreement with the USFWS conclusion that a newly discovered species, the eastern wolf, exists in the Western Great Lakes as a separate species or population. The western Great Lakes wolf population is of mixed genetics and should be treated as one population. They behave as a single species and should be delisted as a single species. This approach to delisting, if adopted, makes practical wolf management on the ground nearly impossible. We need a solid and defensible delisting proposal.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Cosh, DNR spokesperson (608) 267-2773
