WYOMING— This afternoon, Governor Gordon cast his disapproval on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s intention to initiate a 12-month status review on the gray wolf.
The review will aim to determine whether a listing of a distinct population segment (DPS) of the gray wolf in the Northern Rocky Mountains or in the western United States under the Endangered Species Act is warranted.
In response to the announcement, the governor labeled Secretary Haaland’s decision as “very disappointing” and stated that it indicates a strong disconnect between Washington D.C and realities on the ground.
“Managing Wyoming’s wildlife from Washington D.C. is not a good model and is counter to the intent of the Endangered Species Act. I urge the Secretary to ensure that the status review is grounded in science and recognizes the states’ strong track record effectively managing this species.”
In May 2021, Wyoming Game and Fish Department wildlife managers announced that Wyoming had reached a stable wolf population, according to the 2020 Wyoming Gray Wolf Monitoring and Management annual report.
According to Game and Fish, this is the 19th consecutive year wolf numbers have remained above minimum delisting criteria.
“In Wyoming, wolves have been successfully managed by our state’s wildlife experts since regaining authority in 2017. I firmly stand behind our state wolf management plan that has served as our guide to ensure a viable, healthy population for a species that has met all recovery criteria for nearly two decades.”
