Feds delay national delisting proposal indefinitely

WASHINGTON (May 21, 2013) – The Associated Press reported yesterday that an anticipated proposal from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to strip protections for gray wolves nationwide has been delayed indefinitely.

The following is a statement from Jamie Rappaport Clark, president of Defenders of Wildlife:

“The report of an indefinite delay is a very positive sign that the Obama administration is rethinking its rash decision to strip vital protections for gray wolves nationwide. Hopefully, this means that Secretary Jewell has taken to heart the outpouring of opposition to this premature delisting proposal. Many Americans want to see the continued recovery of gray wolves in key parts of their historic range that have excellent wolf habitat. But wolves need federal protection to give them the best chance of recovering in places like Colorado, Utah and northern California, where there currently are no wolves.

“We remain concerned that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is prepared to give up on wolf recovery too soon. Let’s be clear: their job is not yet finished. Gray wolves still only occupy a small portion of available habitat, and having minimal populations in the Northern Rockies and Great Lakes is not good enough.

“It’s the responsibility of our federal government to show strong leadership and be good stewards of all our natural resources today and for generations to come. Allowing the proposal to move forward would also set an embarrassingly low bar for endangered species recovery as a whole – a faint shadow of the grand vision we once had for wildlife conservation in America.”

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Links:
Read the AP story in the Great Falls Tribune
Read more about the implications of the national delisting proposal
Get the latest updates on wolves on Defenders blog
Learn more about what Defenders is doing to restore wolves

Contact:
John Motsinger, jmotsinger@defenders.org, 202-772-0288

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.organd follow us on Twitter @DefendersNews.

For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.  

 

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