Wolves in Idaho, Montana could get federal oversight

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Two conservation groups are asking the Biden administration to immediately reinstate a federal monitoring program to oversee the management of gray wolves in Idaho and Montana following changes in wolf hunting laws in the two states intended to drastically reduce wolf numbers.

The Idaho Conservation League and the Endangered Species Coalition in the request on Wednesday also urged federal officials to do a status review that could lead to relisting wolves under the Endangered Species Act.

The groups say the changes in wolf hunting rules pose such a serious threat to wolf populations they trigger a status review requirement as outlined in a 2009 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service document.