Federal judge says gray wolf hunts can continue
BILLINGS, Mont. — A federal judge said Wednesday that gray wolf hunts in the Northern Rockies can go on, denying a request by environmentalists and animal welfare groups to stop the first organized wolf hunts in decades in Idaho and Montana.
U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy said plans to kill about 20 percent of the two states’ estimated 1,350 wolves would not cause long-term harm to the population. He said federal biologists had shown the animal could sustain a 30 percent annual reduction without long-term harm.
But Molloy added that by carving Wyoming out of the recent decision to remove wolves from federal protection, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service appeared to violate the Endangered Species Act by making its decision based on political boundaries.
Molloy said that means environmentalists could ultimately prevail in their bid to restore endangered species protection for the animals.
“The Service has distinguished a natural population of wolves based on a political line, not the best available science,” Molloy wrote in his 14-page opinion. “That, by definition, seems arbitrary and capricious.”
Doug Honnold, the Earthjustice attorney who had argued the case on behalf of 14 groups opposed to the hunts, had a mixed reaction to the ruling.
“If they violated the endangered species act, then this population eventually is going have to go back on the (endangered) list,” Honnold said. “Obviously we’re disappointed he did not issue an injunction.”
He added that he “took no comfort” in Molloy’s statement that the population could withstand this year’s hunt.
Representatives of the Fish and Wildlife Service could not be reached immediately for comment.
Hunters in Idaho have so far taken three wolves since wolf season opened there Sept. 1. The state has a quota allowing as many as 220 wolves to be killed. Montana’s season is set to begin Sept. 15, with a quota of 75 wolves.
Jim Unsworth with Idaho Fish and Game said his state’s hunt so far has gone smoothly.
“Everything is working just like we planned, which shouldn’t be a surprise since we’ve done this for years with other critters,” Unsworth said.
Last year, Molloy sided with environmentalists in a similar case. As a result, the federal government kept about 300 wolves in Wyoming on the endangered list but in May took them off the list in Montana and Idaho.
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