Wyoming sues for right to kill wolves on sight

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Wyoming is renewing its legal fight to try to force the federal government to accept a proposed state management plan for wolves that would allow them to be shot on sight in much of the state.

In a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday, the state argues that the federal government rejected the state’s proposed wolf management plan because of political considerations, not because of its scientific merits.

It made that argument in a previous lawsuit, but it was dismissed in U.S. District Court, a decision that was upheld by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The new lawsuit is based on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decision in July to reject the state’s petition to remove wolves in Wyoming from the endangered species list

Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator with the Fish and Wildlife Service in Helena, said Tuesday that his agency had expected the state lawsuit but was sorry to see it filed nonetheless.

“I guess the bottom-line is I’m kind of sorry to just see this court stuff just go on and on and on,” Bangs said.

“We’ll do our best to see all the information presented, and defend our position, if that’s the right thing to do.”

Bangs said that once Wyoming has a federally approved wolf management plan in place, the state will be able to take over management of the animals.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has already turned management of wolves over to state agencies in Montana and Idaho, which filed management plans acceptable to the federal agency.

About 400 wolves have been killed in those states for preying on livestock and for other reasons since 1987, Bangs said earlier.

Wyoming’s proposed plan for managing the estimated 309 wolves in the state calls for leaving the animals alone in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Killing of wolves in nearby areas would be regulated by the state, while wolves elsewhere in Wyoming could essentially be shot on sight.

Wyoming Attorney General Pat Crank said Tuesday that the state is eager to have a judge review whether the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to reject the management plan was warranted on science. The earlier lawsuit never reached that point before being dismissed.

“We’ve alleged all along that they’ve failed to follow the best science mandate, and the rejection of our management plan was based on political considerations, especially fear of future lawsuits by environmental groups,” Crank said.

The lawsuit also seeks a court order to force the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to act on state proposals to limit the wolves’ effect on wildlife and livestock.

Crank said the proposals include allowing state wardens to intervene if wolves harass elk at state winter feeding grounds.