Wolves Remain in the Crosshairs

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From Defenders Of Wildlife,


Wolves Remain in the Crosshairs

Last week, a federal judge agreed with Defenders that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service likely violated the Endangered Species Act in delisting wolves in Idaho and Montana -- which means we have a strong chance of ultimately prevailing in our legal challenge of the Interior Department’s delisting of wolves in Idaho and Montana.

Unfortunately, the judge stopped short of granting our request for an injunction -- which means the wolf hunt already underway in Idaho and set to begin in Montana on September 15th will go forward.

Last week’s ruling offers new hope for wolves under the gun in Greater Yellowstone and the northern Rockies, but Defenders of Wildlife will continue to move quickly in the days and weeks ahead to win our lawsuit and restore protections for these wolves.

http://www.defenders.org/newsroom/press_releases_folder/2009/09_09_2009_wolf_hunt_will_continue_while_court_hears_lawsuit.php

For Immediate Release

September 9, 2009
Contact(s) Erin McCallum, Defenders of Wildlife, [phone] or [phone] Suzanne Stone, Defenders of Wildlife, [phone] or [phone]

Court rules that wolf delisting likely violates the Endangered Species Act

Hunt will continue while court hears lawsuit

Summary:

• Yesterday evening, the U.S District Court of Montana agreed with plaintiffs that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service likely violated the Endangered Species Act in delisting wolves in Idaho and Montana.

•While Defenders is disappointed that the court declined to immediately halt the ongoing wolf hunt, we are optimistic that the court will ultimately overturn the wolf delisting and restore Endangered Species Act protections for wolves in the Northern Rockies.

WASHINGTON, DC.–The following is a statement by Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife:

"A hunting season for wolves at this point in time still poses a threat to the Northern Rockies population and we’re disappointed that the court did not grant our motion to immediately stop the hunt. We’re pleased, however, that the court recognizes that we are likely to prevail on our legal claim that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acted illegally by delisting wolves in Idaho, Montana, eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, and portions of north-central Utah.

"We will continue to press our lawsuit challenging the delisting and are optimistic that the court will ultimately rule in our favor, restoring federal protections to Northern Rockies wolves."

The following is a statement by Suzanne Stone, Northern Rockies representative for Defenders of Wildlife:

"We’re hopeful that the ongoing hunt is only a temporary setback on the road to accomplishing our ultimate goal: Restoring protections for wolves until a scientifically sound delisting rule that ensures a healthy regional wolf population, and adequate state plans are in place."

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Northern Rockies Gray Wolf- Delisting Challenge 2009

Date Filed: 09/09/2009
Case Status: Active

Defenders of Wildlife v. Salazar

Case Background:
Challenge against the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's April 2009 decision to delist the northern Rockies wolf population, thus removing their protections under the Endangered Species Act and relinquishing management to the states of Idaho and Montana. Defenders urged Interior Secretary Ken Salazar not to finalize the Bush administration rule, but the rule was finalized on April 2, 2009. Defenders sent a 60 Day Notice Letter of Intent to Sue the day the decision was published in the Federal Register.

On June 2, 2009, Defenders and 12 other conservation organizations filed a lawsuit against the Fish & Wildlife Service challenging the removal of federal protections for northern Rockies wolves. Under this rule, two-thirds of the current wolf population could be killed by Idaho and Montana before FWS would restore protections. As a keystone species of the Northern Rockies, a robust population of gray wolves is essential to maintain the health of the greater ecosystem. For this population to be left without protections just as it has begun to flourish could negate decades of recovery efforts.

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Links:
Learn more about what Defenders is doing to help wolves in the Northern Rockies.
http://www.defenders.org/programs_and_policy/wildlife_conservation/imperiled_species/wolves/wolf_recovery_efforts/northern_rockies_wolves/background_and_recovery/defenders_activities_on_northern_rockies_wolf_conservation.php


Learn more about our ongoing legal actions.
http://www.defenders.org/programs_and_policy/in_the_courts/legal_docket/northern_rockies_gray_wolf-_delisting_challenge_2009.php
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Defenders of Wildlife is represented in this litigation by Earthjustice, along with plaintiffs Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, The Humane Society of the United States, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Friends of the Clearwater, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands Project, Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Project, and Hells Canyon Preservation Council.

Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org




Urge President Obama to Stand Up for Idaho Wolves

https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr002=w9y2wuu4x4.app217a&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1537
Idaho officials have announced they plan to allow hunters to target the 1,000 wolves in Idaho, shooting and killing up to 220 wolves during this hunting season alone.

In just a few days, more than four thousand -- of an estimated 70,000 -- wolf-killing permits have already been sold!

Help us save these wolves! Fill out the form below to send President Obama a message urging him to stop Idaho’s awful wolf hunt and restore Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in Idaho and Montana.