Steps Taken To Remove Wolf Population From Endangered Species List

Federal wildlife officials may begin the process of removing wolves from the endangered species list later this year.

They want to make the bureaucratic preparations so that when wolf populations finally cross the legal benchmark delisting can start in earnest.

“A lot of what we’re going to be doing is setting the stage politically with public involvement and public education so people are prepared for this,” said Ed Bangs, wolf recovery leader for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“I think delisting wolves is going to be as controversial as reintroduction,” he said.

Bangs said he expects federal officials to remove wolves in the Northern Rockies from the endangered species list by 2000 or 2001.

The federal recovery plan calls for delisting the animals once 10 packs of wolves reproduce for three years running in central Idaho, Yellowstone National Park and northwest Montana.

Bangs said between 12 and 14 wolf packs are expected to reproduce in northwest Montana this spring. He said about eight packs will probably produce pups in both Yellowstone and central Idaho, which will likely surpass the 10-wolf threshold next year.

Once wolves lose their endangered status, their management would be up to state, not federal, wildlife officials, and they could be subject to hunting or other forms of control.

All three of the populations must be delisted together.

The wolves in northwest Montana will probably be downgraded from endangered to threatened by 1999.