Gray Wolf Delisting

 The argument over the delisting of the Northern Rockies gray wolves from the endangered species list can be considered nothing short of emotionally heated; having environmentalists and animal rights activists on one side, farmers and ranchers on the other side, and government lawmakers caught in the middle. Over the last few years legislators have flip flopped back and forth over gray wolves endangered status and whether to put their management into the hands of individual state government. In that short time, the number of gray wolves has gone from under twelve hundred to over seventeen hundred in the Northern Rockies; where their attacks on livestock and big game herds in the area have created a growing concern and a justified ill will. The obvious reason behind the federal government’s inability to stand firm with a delisting of gray wolves is the continuing onslaught of lawsuits from environmentalists. The bitter truth that such lawsuits will remain a constant factor during negotiations to remove gray wolves from the endangered species list more than guarantees that a resolution will not take place anytime soon.