Additional considerations for gray wolf management after their removal from Endangered Species Act protections

In the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uses the concepts of resilience, redundancy, and representation—often known as the “3Rs”—to guide implementation of the Endangered Species Act, which requires the U.S. government to designate imperiled species as threatened or endangered, and take action to recover them. The Service has done little, however, to relate the 3Rs to the statutory requirements of the Act. Here we focus on interpreting the concept of representation given core tenets of science and conservation policy. We show that the Service's current interpretation, which focuses on a narrow set of characteristics intrinsic to species that facilitate future adaptation, falls far short of a reasonable interpretation from the scientific literature and other policy, and has significant consequences for the conservation of threatened and endangered species, including those found in other countries. To illustrate the shortcomings in practice, we discuss the cases of the Lower 48 gray wolf (Canis lupus) delisting, the proposed Red-cockadedWoodpecker (Picoides borealis) downlisting, and the possible downlisting of the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis). We then propose an alternative interpretation of representation that accommodates the Service's narrow interpretation and broadens it to include the importance of intraspecific variation for its own sake as well as extrinsic characteristics such as a species' role in ecological communities. We argue that this interpretation better reflects the intent of the Endangered Species Act, the best available science, and policy needs for conserving imperiled wildlife, all of which recognize the importance not only of preventing global extinction but also of preventing ecological extinction and extirpation across significant portions of a species' range.

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The Endangered Gray Wolf in Wyoming: Managing Wolf Populations after Endangered Species Act Delisting

Policy Perspectives ◽

10.4079/pp.v15i1.4153 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 57

Author(s):

Bryant Jones

Keyword(s):

Endangered Species ◽

Endangered Species Act ◽

Gray Wolf ◽

State Governments ◽

Recovery Plan ◽

Northern Rocky Mountains ◽

Gray Wolves ◽

State Management ◽

Compensation Program ◽

The U.S

For over sixty years the distinct howl of the gray wolf has been absent from the Northern Rocky Mountains. The U.S. government successfully exterminated the species from all but Minnesota by the 1930s. With the passage of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 the gray wolf was protected by law. A recovery plan was developed throughout the 1980s and implemented beginning in 1995. Since then, populations of gray wolves in three designated recovery areas consisting of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming have increased annually. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is considering delisting the gray wolf from the endangered list and has begun to devolve management to state governments. Idaho and Montana's recovery plans were approved by USFWS, but Wyoming's plan was rejected. To ensure state management of wolves is achieved, Wyoming should seriously consider implementing a program similar to those of Idaho and Montana and one that will be easily approved by the USFWS. This paper proposes that Wyoming consider several different ways to manage the wolf population, including: developing a new wolf recovery plan using a a diverse group of stakeholders; continuing to keep wolves protected under state protection; developing a comprehensive education program to inform citizens about gray wolves; continuing to utilize the Defenders of Wildlife compensation program to repay ranchers for livestock depredation losses; and leaving the definition of a breeding pair as an adult male and female raising two or more pups until December 31 of the respective year.

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Better representation is needed in Endangered Species Act implementation

10.31219/osf.io/m4t7f ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jacob Malcom ◽

Andrew Carter

Keyword(s):

Endangered Species ◽

Endangered Species Act ◽

Alternative Interpretation ◽

Gray Wolf ◽

Picoides Borealis ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Ecological Communities ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Science And Policy ◽

Threatened And Endangered Species

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uses the concepts of resilience, redundancy, and representation—often known as the “3Rs”—to guide implementation of the Endangered Species Act. The Service has done little, however, to relate the 3Rs to the statutory requirements of the Act. Here we focus on interpreting the concept of representation given core tenets of science and conservation policy. We show that the Service’s current interpretation, which focuses on a narrow set of characteristics intrinsic to species that facilitate future adaptation, falls far short of a reasonable interpretation from the scientific literature and other policy, and has significant consequences for the conservation of threatened and endangered species. To illustrate the shortcomings in practice, we discuss the case of the Lower 48 gray wolf (Canis lupus) delisting, the proposed Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) downlisting, and the possible downlisting of the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis). We then propose an alternative interpretation of representation that accommodates the Service’s narrow interpretation and broadens it to include the importance of intraspecific variation for its own sake as well as extrinsic characteristics such as a species’ role in ecological communities. We argue that this interpretation better reflects the intent of the Endangered Species Act, the best available science, and policy needs for conserving imperiled wildlife.

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Wolf Delisting Challenges Demonstrate Need for an Improved Framework for Conserving Intraspecific Variation under the Endangered Species Act.

BioScience ◽

10.1093/biosci/biaa125 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Carlos Carroll ◽

Daniel J Rohlf ◽

Bridgett M vonHoldt ◽

Adrian Treves ◽

Sarah A Hendricks

Keyword(s):

Endangered Species ◽

Intraspecific Variation ◽

Endangered Species Act ◽

Gray Wolf ◽

Geographic Patterns ◽

Distinct Population Segment ◽

The Us ◽

Us Government ◽

The Face ◽

Definition Of

Abstract Recent advances in genomics have increased our understanding of geographic patterns of intraspecific variation and the importance of this variation in enhancing species’ potential to adapt to novel threats. However, as part of an effort to limit the scope of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the US government has proposed the removal of the gray wolf from the list of protected species on the basis of a claim that the statute permits a species to be declared recovered given the existence of a single presently secure population. We rebut this interpretation and propose a framework for the conservation of adaptive potential that builds on current agency practice in delineating subspecific recovery units and reconciles the definition of significance in the statute's “distinct population segment” and “significant portion of range” clauses. Such a coordinated policy would enhance the ESA's effectiveness in stemming loss of biodiversity in the face of climate change and other factors altering Earth's ecosystems.

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The Debate over El Lobo: Can Historians Make a Difference?

The Public Historian ◽

10.1525/tph.2004.26.1.123 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 123-144

Author(s):

Marsha Weisiger

Keyword(s):

Twentieth Century ◽

New Mexico ◽

Endangered Species ◽

General Public ◽

Endangered Species Act ◽

Gray Wolf ◽

Roundtable Discussion ◽

The Past ◽

Early Twentieth Century ◽

History Of

In February 2003, historians, wolf-experts, ranchers, environmental activists, and some two hundred members of the general public gathered in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to discuss the past, present, and future of the Mexican gray wolf. “Leopold Forum: El Lobo” explored the history of wolf extirpation in the early twentieth century and the recent contested effort to reintroduce wolves into the Southwest, under the Endangered Species Act. The program included keynote addresses by a historian, a wolf biologist, and a ranching spokesperson; a series of panel presentations; a dinner featuring an environmental activist as speaker; and a roundtable discussion. A private breakfast-discussion among the stakeholders, facilitated by a professional conflict negotiator, followed the conference. The article narrates the history of wolf extirpation and reintroduction, and describes the logistics of organizing the conference and its outcome.

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