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Gray wolves are back on the federal endangered species list

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will propose lifting protections on the gray wolf, seen here in 2008. The species' status under the Endangered Species Act has been contested for years.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will propose lifting protections on the gray wolf, seen here in 2008. The species' status under the Endangered Species Act has been contested for years.

Gray wolves were placed back on the federal endangered species list last week.

The ruling suspends two state laws in Michigan.

One allows people to remove, capture or kill wolves, in the act of preying on pets and hunting dogs.

The other law offers the same means for livestock owners.

Ed Golder is with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

He says the DNR supported the decision to federally delist wolves in 2020.

“We’ve long surpassed those levels that were set by both the state and federal authorities for wolves being a recovered species in Michigan.”

Golder says Michigan has had a minimum of nearly 700 wolves for more than a decade.

In the meantime, the DNR will continue to update its wolf management plan, for the eventuality that they’re taken back off the federal endangered list, and management returns to the state.