Michigan’s gray wolves were taken off of the endangered species list, but are now back on the list, thanks to a ruling from the U.S. District Court. That means that hunting the wolves is prohibited.
Michigan was part of an amicus brief that fought the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s delisting of the wolf. The brief argued that delisting was contrary to the Endangered Species Act and would be detrimental to gray wolf populations.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel commented on the ruling, saying, “Michigan is proud to be home to approximately 700 gray wolves. These magnificent animals serve important roles in our Great Lakes ecosystems, and they show us that dedication to family is not unique to humans.”
Nessel said that she “refused to stand idly by when the federal government tried to use the Great Lakes wolf recovery success story to remove needed Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in other states.”
The vacating of the previous ruling keeps protections in place for Michigan wolves. Killing a gray wolf can only be done for immediate threats and needs to be reported to the DNR.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
