Wolves May No Longer Be Considered Endangered

Wolves have been thriving in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and in many other states and soon may be removed from the endangered species list.

The only problem with lifting the protections of wolves is that it doesn't take that long to have their numbers weakened by hunters, livestock farmers and anyone else who deems the animal a threat.

According to WOOD, wolves being removed from the endangered species list is part of the Trump administration's plans to turn regulations on the animals over to the individual states.

There is even talk of rolling back protections on migratory birds, as well.

Under this new plan, the Fish and Wildlife Service will only protect a small group of Mexican wolves that are located in the southwest portion of the United States since they have not recovered like the grey wolves have elsewhere.

At one point in Michigan, wolves were in all 83 counties but then bounties were placed on the animals and by 1935 they couldn't be found in the Lower Peninsula and there were only six in the Upper Peninsula.

Wolves have since rebounded in Michigan and there are now over 600 in the Upper Peninsula and some are now being discovered in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula.

Wolves are already off the endangered lists in Idaho, Montana, certain areas of Oregon, Utah, Washington state and Wyoming. The federal protection is still in the other states that have wolves in them.

The Humane Society of the United States believes that wolves are still vulnerable while the Fish and Wildlife Service believes the wolves have recovered and the states that do not have them are not suitable to sustain a healthy pack.

Michigan has had a long standing partnership with Wisconsin on protecting and studying wolves, so even if the federal protection is lifted, both states are more than likely going to continue to protecting the animals. Wolves help with stabilizing deer and bear populations and until those are affected, it seems the animals would remain protected.