Judge Molloy acknowledges unreasonable threat to wolf population under current
plans; states that USFWS acted prematurely by delisting wolves despite
scientific evidence
MISSOULA, Mont., July 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Judge Donald
Molloy of the U.S. District Court in Missoula granted a preliminary injunction
placing gray wolves in the Northern Rockies region back under federal
protection until a court case challenging the removal of wolves from the
federal list of endangered species is decided. Below is a statement by Suzanne
Asha Stone, northern Rockies wolf conservation specialist for Defenders of
Wildlife, regarding today's announcement.
"We're very pleased with today's decision to restore federal protections
to wolves in the Northern Rockies until the ongoing case is ultimately decided
by Judge Molloy. This is a very important first step, since it stops the
continued and almost indiscriminate killing of wolves under the states'
management plans that could have put the long-term recovery of the wolf at
risk.
"The delisting of wolves was inappropriate and illegal in large part
because existing state management plans are inadequate to ensure the long term
conservation of wolves in the region, allowing far too many wolves to be
unnecessarily killed. Responsible, balanced management by the states would
benefit wolves, ranchers, hunters and all Northern Rockies residents. While
the court continues to weigh our challenge to the delisting decision, we will
continue to work to improve the current state plans so that they maintain a
healthy wolf population."
Earthjustice filed the lawsuit on behalf of Defenders of Wildlife, Natural
Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, The
Humane Society of the United States, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance,
Friends of the Clearwater, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Oregon Wild,
Cascadia Wildlands Project, Western Watersheds Project, and Wildlands Project.
Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals
and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1 million members and
activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative
solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For
more information, visit www.defenders.org.
SOURCE Defenders of Wildlife
Suzanne Asha Stone, +1-208-424-9385, +1-208-861-4655, or Erin McCallum,
+1-202-772-3217, +1-610-207-5209, both of Defenders of Wildlife
