Woodland Park Zoo is home to three gray wolves.
Animal curator Kevin Murphy explains how the animal plays a big role in the wild.
“The effects of the top apex predator in an ecosystem really makes a difference, every cog in that wheel makes a difference,” Murphy said.
But after more than 45 years on the Endangered Species Act, the federal government announced the wolves will be delisted.
It’s something Congressman Dan Newhouse of Eastern Washington has been working on since his election in 2015.
“This is truly a cause for celebration because we’ve brought them back. This is important. We have brought them back from the brink of extinction,” said Newhouse.
Critics, like Dr. Zoe Hanley from Defenders of Wildlife, vow to fight the move.
“Stripping protections from gray wolves is a premature and reckless decision that was not supported by independent scientific review or the general public,” Hanley said.
After being nearly wiped out by the mid-20th century, there are now 6,000 gray wolves in the lower 48 states, largely clustered in the Northern Rocky Mountains and the Western Great Lakes.
KIRO 7 asked Newhouse how the species can be considered recovered if they’re still missing from much of their historical range.
“I guess that comes down to what’s the definition of recovery? Do they have to be in every single geographical location they were previously? Or can we look at the primary areas where they now are moving into and are growing,” Newhouse answered.
It’s important to note, the gray wolf was listed as endangered by the state of Washington in 1980 and receives protection under state law.
In Washington, there are at least 108 known wolves. According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, of the 26 known packs in Washington, 21 live in the eastern part of the state where wolves have not been federally listed under the Endangered Species Act since 2011 which means WDFW has been managing the population over there.
In a statement online, WDFW said “The recent federal decision to delist gray wolves applies to the western two-thirds of the state and makes the federal status consistent across the state.”
“So the biggest concern is now that wolves in the Cascades can also be killed for conflict with livestock,” Hanley said, “And any wolves killed in that region can hinder statewide wolf recovery.”
Newhouse asserts handing over control to local management will help the continued recovery of the species.
“It frees them up in order to make decisions based on the local area so it’s not a one size fits all way of responding to management decisions,” Newhouse said.
Cox Media Group
