State Wildlife Chief Supports Wolf Removal From 'Endangered' List

OLYMPIA, WA — The state's top wildlife official has expressed support for a federal proposal to remove gray wolves from the endangered species list in Washington.

State Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Suswind submitted a comment in late April on the federal proposal to remove the wolves from protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The wolf population has recovered enough that the animals do not meet the definition of "endangered" anymore, federal officials contend.

"We propose this action because the best available scientific and commercial information indicates that the currently listed entities do not meet the definitions of a threatened species or endangered species under the [Endangered Species Act] due to recovery," a rule proposal says.

The state's latest wolf census, released April 4, revealed the first wolf pack living west of the Cascade crest. There are about 126 wolves living in Washington total, mostly in the northeast corner of the state.

"The law is intended to provide plans and resources for species in danger of extinction; for a species to remain forever listed as endangered under the ESA would indicate failure to recover them (and is a misuse of the law if they are recovered). Delisting of the gray wolf is a

conservation success story," Suswind wrote in his comment.

Environmental groups are opposing federal proposal.

"The gray wolf is still functionally extinct in the 85 percent of its historic range, including many parts of Washington. The ESA requires a species be recovered throughout a significant portion of its range. Fifteen percent is not significant. To put it in perspective, this would equate someone borrowing $1000 and paying $150 back," many of the comments read.

The public can submit comments on the federal proposal until May 14.