Here’s what a couple of sportsmen’s groups had to say today about the Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to remove wolves in the Great Lakes region from federal protection under the Endangered Species Act:
“This announcement is a major victory for sportsmen, conservation, and wildlife management. We applaud the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their decision to recognize the scientific facts regarding wolves in the Great Lakes region. This is how the Endangered Species Act is supposed to be implemented. When animal populations recover, those species should be removed from the list and returned to state management. This has been a long, hard fought battle and is not likely over as we expect the animal rights lobby to turn to the courts to stop the delisting. We will be ready.”
— Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation senior vice president.
“Barring any legal holdups from animal rights activists, we should see science-based wolf management and control measures go into effect by February, and that’s great news for conservation overall in the Great Lakes region.”
— David Allen, president and CEO of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
