A coalition of Montana-based conservation groups is gearing up for a landmark lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), determined to reinstate federal protection for gray wolves in the West. The move follows the USFWS decision in February to maintain the current de-listed status of wolves, a decision that sparked widespread outcry.

The latest lawsuit underscores the growing rancor over wolf management, fueled by controversial state policies and incidents like the brutal killing of a young wolf in Wyoming. In late February, a Wyoming man was fined a mere $250 after being caught on video running down a wolf with a snowmobile, injuring it, and later killing it.

Conservation groups, including the Gallatin Wildlife Association and Footloose Montana, argue that the shocking incident demonstrates the failure of state-level wolf management.

“States have proven they cannot be trusted to sustain the wolf species,” stated Jessica Karjala, executive director of Footloose Montana. “They have encouraged increased hunting quotas on wolves, spotlighting, baiting, trapping, snaring, hound hunting. Here, Wyoming is turning a blind eye to the heinous acts of Cody Roberts. The delisting of wolves has led to the failure of state wildlife agencies to protect wolves.”

The USFWS decision, citing a robust Western wolf population, has drawn intense criticism. Conservationists contend that mounting political pressure in states like Montana and Idaho will lead to a drastic decline in wolf numbers. Critics of the decision accuse the USFWS of neglecting the best available science and failing to consider the very real threat of poaching in its analysis.

This latest legal salvo raises the stakes in the protracted fight over wolf protections. As Western states push for aggressive population control, the battle lines are drawn for a court showdown that could redefine the future of this iconic predator.

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