Congress Considers Removing Wolves From Endanged Species List

Advocates for wolves say they’re trying to stop Congress from helping to remove gray wolves from the endangered species list in the western Great Lakes region.

Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently rejected an effort by wildlife groups to move the gray wolf from the endangered to the threatened list. Now, the groups are worried about two bills in Congress that would thwart a court ruling and completely de-list the animal — reopening the door to a wolf hunt.

Maureen Hackett with the group Howling for Wolves said she opposes congressional action.

“For our democracy in general, if we have congressional actions taken because of disagreement over a judicial decision, I don’t think there’s going to be any order to what we’re doing in our society,” Hackett said.

U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble, R-Green Bay, is a co-author of one of the bills. He said he’s happy that language from the measure has been included in the Interior Department’s appropriations bill, and contends the state of Wisconsin can manage its wolf population.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story included an inaccurate transcription of Maureen Hackett’s quote. It has been updated.