Ashland Current: State's Congressional Delegration Pushes For Wolf Delisting
Most of Wisconsin's Congressional delegation has joined the push to get the gray wolf taken off the endangered species list in the western Great Lakes region.
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner, U.S. Rep. Thomas Petri, U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, and U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble have joined forces to request that the gray wolf be removed from the endangered species list list.
The Fish and Wildlife Service announced last spring that it wants to again delist the gray wolf in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. But recently the service extended the comment period for the proposed change, as scientists take a longer look at whether what some feel is a separate second type of wolf in Wisconsin, the Eastern Wolf, would be harmed if the gray is no longer listed as endangered. Rep. Tammy Baldwin wrote the letter that asks the Fish and Wildlife Service to move ahead with delisting the gray wolf. She says the gray and eastern are pretty much the same animal.
Baldwin says some farmers and other state residents have complained to her about the growing number of gray wolves, and say the state needs to have more options to control the wolf population. Milwaukee Democrat Gwen Moore declined to sign the letter, which was sent to the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp reacted to the action of the delegation.
“The department appreciates the support of these members of Congress in supporting our belief that clouding the delisting process by recognizing two physically indistinguishable species of wolves in Wisconsin is neither practical nor defensible,” Stepp said.
Currently, Wisconsin has more wolves than any state other than Alaska and Minnesota. Population estimates range from 782 to 824 wolves, far exceeding both the Wisconsin Wolf Management Plan goal of 350 and the federal recovery goal of 100.
“The gray wolf population has improved in our state beyond multiple recovery standards, and is a remarkable success story of endangered species management,” Stepp said.
