Russ Morgan, ODFW wolf coordinator, with the female pup radio collared on Feb. 13, 2010. Photo from ODFW.
Thanks to a federal judge in Montana, Oregon’s wolves are back on the Endangered Species List.
District Judge David Molloy ruled today that the federal government made a mistake last year when it delisted wolves in four states, including Eastern Oregon, Eastern Washington, Idaho and Montana – but kept them on the list in Wyoming.
Molloy says the law doesn’t allow for a state-by-state solution. According to the judge, the law only allows one choice. List all of the wolves in Rocky Mountain region, or list none of them.
Environmental groups are happy with the ruling, but admit it’s still to early to know what will be the long term impact of Molloy’s ruling in Oregon.
“This is good news,” says Rob Klavins of Oregon Wild, “but not the last chapter.”
A lot depends on how the feds decide to respond. Will they appeal the ruling? Will they try to delist all the Rocky Mountain wolves or will they try to re-list all of them.
It’s been a crazy year for wolves in Oregon.
March: Oregon Fish and Wildlife begins taking public comments on the state’s Wolf Management Plan. The plan is five years old and is undergoing a review process.
May – early June: At least six calves are killed by wolves at ranches in Wallowa County. To help ranchers prevent further losses, Oregon Fish and Wildlife begins issuing a small number of “shoot-to-kill” permits.
May 31: ODFW authorizes federal agents to hunt and kill two members of the Imnaha pack. This is the pack believed responsible for the killing of calves. USDA’s Wildlife Services gets about two weeks to carry out the hunt.
June 10: Even though no wolves have been killed, and the attacks on livestock have stopped, ODFW extends the hunt for another week.
June 18: The hunt is extended for another week. ODFW confirms that the tracking collar for the alpha male of the Imnaha pack has stopped transmitting and he can’t be located.
June 25: ODFW extends the hunt through the end of August. No new attacks on livestock have been reported.
July 1: Environmental groups sue to stop the hunt, saying Wildlife Services was required to conduct an Environmental Analysis beforehand.
July 2: Wildlife Services calls off the hunt for the rest of July, giving wolves a break while the case plays out in court.
July 14: ODFW release photos of four new wolf pups born to the Imnaha pack.
July 30: Wildlife Services agrees to voluntarily call off the hunt until it carries out an Environmental Analysis. ODFW lets the “shoot-to-kill” permits expire. For all practical purposes, the hunt is over.
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