MISSOULA, Mont. — Nearly a dozen conservationist groups filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFW) to reinstate wolves under protections granted in the Endangered Species Act.
USFW denied a group petition in February asking for the same request. USFW did not agree western states including Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming are endangering their gray wolf populations by mismanagement.
The state largely eradicated wolves in the early 20th century, according to International Wildlife Coexistence Network (IWCN) Executive Director Suzanne Stone. The federal government reinstated the Idaho wolf population in 1995; the population was removed from the endangered species list in 2015 and returned the ability to manage the population back to the state.
Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) plans to reduce the state's wolf population down to 500 by 2028; KTVB reported the 2023 wolf population neared 1,300.
"This isn't about conservation of wolves. It isn't about their management. This is about absolutely destroying the wolf population," Stone said. "They have proven beyond question they are not able to responsibly manage wolves."
The Idaho Cattle Association (ICA) told KTVB in 2023 wolves threaten and even kill their livestock. For that reason, ranchers typically oppose wolves in and around ranching areas. Governor Brad Little (R-Idaho) signed Senate Bill 1211 in 2021 to open up wolve hunting to a year-round season and offer unlimited tags.
This law change specifically has Idaho mentioned in the federal lawsuit; however, the ICA doesn't see the law change as an issue of any great degree.
"We've had these methods available to utilize and we haven't seen a huge increase in the take of wolves across the state," ICA Executive Vice President Cameron Mulrony said in 2023. "We only have a problem with those that are depredating our livestock."
Idaho Fish and Game number show the number of wolves killed annually as follows:
- 2015: 367 wolves
- 2016: 368 wolves
- 2017: 379 wolves
- 2018: 414 wolves
- 2019: 475 wolves
- 2020: 512 wolves
- 2021: 516 wolves
- 2022: 405 wolves
- 2023: 461 wolves
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