Appeals Court Removes Federal Protection for Wyoming’s Wolves

Overturning a lower court order, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a decision today that would remove Wyoming’s wolves from the federal endangered species list. The Court stayed the decision pending further appeals.

Following is the reaction from Rebecca Riley, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council:

“Wyoming’s plan to shoot wolves on sight throughout most of the state was a bad idea when it was proposed, and it’s a bad idea now. The Court’s decision to lift federal protections for wolves in Wyoming will be a step backwards for wolf recovery in the West.”

Today’s D.C. Circuit decision overturns a 2014 federal court ruling that rejected U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s attempt to remove Wyoming wolves from the federal endangered species list.

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