The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service denied Wyoming's petition to amend the 1994 special rule to manage wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains. The Service determined that the 1994 and 2005 10(j) special rules, the proposed revisions to the 2005 10(j) special rule published on July 6, 2007, and past and ongoing wolf control efforts already adequately address the concerns raised by the State of Wyoming in its petition dated July 1, 2005.
The Service's proposed modification to the 10(j) special rule is open for public comment until August 6, 2007. The Service believes the proposed modifications for states and tribes with approved wolf management plans would further address the first three issues Wyoming raised in its July 1, 2005 petition. The Service's proposal to modify the 2005 experimental population special rule can be viewed at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-3268.pdf or http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/.
The State of Wyoming's petition proposed four changes: 1) requiring the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or a designated agent, to lethally control wolves causing livestock depredation; 2) allowing states to determine unacceptable impacts to wild ungulate herds caused by wolves; 3) requiring the Service, or a designated agent, to lethally control or relocate wolves harassing elk at feed grounds; and 4) requiring the Service to compensate livestock producers for losses caused by wolves. A copy of the Service's response to the State of Wyoming regarding its petition is attached below.
