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State Gray Wolves Lose Federal Protection
By Tom Meersman, Star Tribune
Effective today, gray wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan have been removed from federal protection under the Endangered Species Act and their populations will be managed by the states.
"We're fully prepared to take on the responsibility and we believe that wolves will continue to thrive in Minnesota under this [state] management plan," said Mike DonCarlos, DNR wildlife research and policy manager.
As a result of the change in the wolf's status, farmers and other property owners in the northeastern third of the state will be allowed to kill wolves that represent an "immediate threat" to their domestic pets or livestock, DonCarlos said. Anyone who shoots a wolf under those circumstances must report the incident within 48 hours and surrender the carcass to conservation officers, he said.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to monitor wolf populations in the three states for five years to ensure that their recovery continues.
When the wolf was classified as an endangered species in 1974, northern Minnesota had only a few hundred remaining. The combination of federal protection, adequate habitat and abundant prey has helped wolf populations rebound more successfully and quickly than wildlife managers expected.
Minnesota has 3,020 wolves, according to the state's latest estimate, and another 1,000 live in northern Wisconsin and in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Under state law, there will be no public hunting or trapping seasons on wolves for at least five years, and then only if the DNR commissioner authorizes it and public hearings are held.
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By Tom Meersman, Star Tribune
Effective today, gray wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan have been removed from federal protection under the Endangered Species Act and their populations will be managed by the states.
"We're fully prepared to take on the responsibility and we believe that wolves will continue to thrive in Minnesota under this [state] management plan," said Mike DonCarlos, DNR wildlife research and policy manager.
As a result of the change in the wolf's status, farmers and other property owners in the northeastern third of the state will be allowed to kill wolves that represent an "immediate threat" to their domestic pets or livestock, DonCarlos said. Anyone who shoots a wolf under those circumstances must report the incident within 48 hours and surrender the carcass to conservation officers, he said.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to monitor wolf populations in the three states for five years to ensure that their recovery continues.
When the wolf was classified as an endangered species in 1974, northern Minnesota had only a few hundred remaining. The combination of federal protection, adequate habitat and abundant prey has helped wolf populations rebound more successfully and quickly than wildlife managers expected.
Minnesota has 3,020 wolves, according to the state's latest estimate, and another 1,000 live in northern Wisconsin and in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Under state law, there will be no public hunting or trapping seasons on wolves for at least five years, and then only if the DNR commissioner authorizes it and public hearings are held.
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