Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), along with the Born Free USA, Help Our Wolves Live, and Friends of Animals and Their Environment, who joined forces and brought a lawsuit, a battle was won in court today for wolves.
This is the second time the courts have ruled against the ill-considered rule published by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), that removed wolves in the Great Lakes from the protection of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The DC District Court overturned the rule in 2014 when the HSUS and other wildlife protection groups initially filed suit. That judgment was upheld today by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, following a slew of appeals of those protecting special interests, such as the National Rifle Association, the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, and Safari Club International.
The Court of Appeals saw past the flawed claims by those attempting to strip federal protection for wolves, which undoubtedly provide more benefits to us alive, than as a stuffed trophy.
Not only does this compassionate ruling represent the vital role wolves play regarding the health of our ecosystems and economy, but also the will of the majority of residents. In 2014, Michigan voters passed two ballot measures against the trophy hunting of wolves.
Although this does not prevent the USFWS from creating a new rule to remove wolves from the protection of the ESA, it will require thorough research and scientific facts to back it up.
Jonathan Lovvorn, chief counsel for animal protection litigation at the HSUS, stated, “A federal appeals court has recognized that the basis for the delisting decision was flawed. Congress should respect the ruling relating to the management of wolves in the Great Lakes and allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to re-examine the broader conservation questions raised by the courts.”
