October 30, 2020
On Thursday, the Trump Administration announced that it would be stripping gray wolves of the protections afforded them by the Endangered Species Act in the lower 48 states. Conservationists and environmental groups protested the decision, saying the American gray wolf population is too fragile for such a move, warning that the species might not survive it.
There are around 6,000 gray wolves left in the region, mostly in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The Interior Department announced that state wildlife agencies will now be in charge of managing these populations. “Today’s action reflects the Trump Administration’s continued commitment to species conservation based on the parameters of the law and the best scientific and commercial data available,” Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt said in a statement. “After more than 45 years as a listed species, the gray wolf has exceeded all conservation goals for recovery.”