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It is now illegal to hunt gray wolves in 44 US states. A federal judge’s decision on Thursday reverses a Trump administration measure.
The gray wolf had been a protected species since the 1970s following its near extinction in the United States, but Donald Trump stripped it of that status in 2020, leading to an explosion in the number of shots.
AFP PHOTO/US FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE/HANDOUT
Gray wolves are once once more a protected species in most of the continental United States following a California federal judge ruled on Thursday reversing a Trump administration measure.
The US Wildlife Management and Preservation Service ‘has not adequately addressed threats to wolves outside of core populations in the Great Lakes and northern Rocky Mountain regions by withdrawing protection to the entire species,” said Judge Jeffrey White in his decision.
In October 2020, the Trump administration had indeed decided to withdraw gray wolves from their protected species status, set up in the 1970s following their near extinction in the United States.
Since the decision took effect in January 2021, the number of wolves killed in some states had exploded, such as in Wisconsin where more than 200 wolves were killed in less than three days, forcing authorities to put an end to the hunting season earlier than expected, reports the “New York Times”.
Shooting will be punished with a fine or even imprisonment.
According to Thursday’s judgment, hunting wolves is now banned in 44 states and those who attack these beasts risk fines or prison.
“This is a crucial victory for the gray wolves and for all those who appreciate nature,” said Jamie Rappaport Clark, president of Defenders of Wildlife, in a press release, one of the associations which fought the measure in court. Trump administration.
“Restoring federal protection will allow these essential animals to receive the support they need to recover and thrive for years to come,” she added.
Nearly 250,000 wolves lived in the United States before European settlers arrived in the 16th century, and with them a veritable campaign of extermination. There are now only some 6,000 wolves scattered across the country, outside of Alaska.
(AFP)