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One of North America’s most iconic native predators, the gray wolf used to be found throughout the United Sates—but centuries of trapping, hunting, and poisoning, decimated the wolf population. By the 1980s, only a few small pockets of survivors remained in the continental United States.
Efforts to reintroduce the gray wolf to the Northern Rockies in 1995 ultimately succeeded and by 2005, the population had finally climbed above 1,000 animals. Despite this encouraging recovery, there have been and continue to be state management policies pushing for aggressive population reductions in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.
For the past decade, Earthjustice has been instrumental in protecting the gray wolves in court. Explore a timeline of the fight to protect the wolves of the Northern Rockies.
Take Action! Wolves in the Lower-48 Need Your Help
January catch of Forest Service hunter T.B. Bledsaw, Kaibab National Forest, c. 1914. (Arizona Historical Society)
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may remove Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves across nearly the entire lower-48 states. This would be disastrous for gray wolf recovery in the United States. Take action now to help prevent the premature delisting of the gray wolf!
Cases: Current Related Litigation
Conservation Groups Challenge Kill‐at‐Will Policy for Wyoming Wolves
Conservation groups, represented by Earthjustice, have filed suit challenging the federal government’s removal of Endangered Species Act protections for Wyoming wolves. Earthjustice is representing Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Sierra Club in this action.
Support Us: Make a contribution
Support our work! Earthjustice has been critical to protecting endangered species in the Northern Rockies, such as grizzlies, wolves, and bison. Please support our ongoing efforts to preserve America’s wildlife for generations to come.
Video: Earthjustice On PBS
In 2010, PBS NOW aired Hunting Wolves, Saving Wolves, a short piece on the ongoing efforts to save—and hunt—gray wolves in the northern Rockies, which can be viewed in its entirety below.
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