NRDC v. U.S. Department of the Interior et al. (Gray Wolf Delisting)

Photo of a a gray wolf — A gray wolf runs through the shallows of a river in Minnesota.
Credit:
Lynn Bystrom/iStock

The gray wolf is an iconic keystone species that was nearly decimated in the United States by widespread predator control programs and habitat and prey loss. While wolves have begun to make a comeback since receiving Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections in the 1970s, they are still a long way from recovered. And yet, over the last two decades, the federal government has made repeated, failed attempts to prematurely strip wolves of protections and remove them from the list of endangered species.

Most recently, the Trump administration hastily issued a rule in its final months delisting gray wolves across 44 states. NRDC brought a lawsuit challenging this rule, as did 15 other environmental groups, represented by lawyers from Earthjustice and the Western Environmental Law Center. All three cases were related in the Northern District of California.

In February 2022, in a major victory for wolves and conservation advocates, the district court issued a resounding ruling in our favor—granting summary judgment and restoring protections for wolves across the Lower 48 states (with the exception of the Northern Rockies, where wolves were delisted by a congressional rider). The court held that the delisting issued by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service failed to analyze the status of wolves across the entire listing, failed to properly evaluate what constituted a “significant” portion of the species’ range, ignored the distinct coastal ancestry of West Coast wolves, and did not consider the causes and effects of lost historical range on gray wolves.

The Fish & Wildlife Service appealed this ruling, but that appeal was on hold through much of the Biden administration while the agency considered a new rule for the gray wolf. That rule never came, and in fall 2024, the parties began briefing the appeal. Briefing is now complete, and the parties are awaiting a schedule for oral argument. NRDC and our partners will continue to vigorously defend this win on appeal and to advocate for other federal actions needed to ensure the wolves’ full nationwide recovery.

Case Documents

Amended complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief (PDF) Order denying motion to dismiss or strike first amended complaint (PDF) Order resolving cross-motions for summary judgment (PDF)

Related Issues

Wildlife