In a surprise ruling issued late Friday a federal judge relisted under the Endangered Species Act all wolves in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Usually it takes the lawyers a couple days to go over these decisions and figure out exactly what is said in the 100 plus page ruling, and even more time trying to guess where it will eventually lead.
In the short term there should be no effect on either wolves or other wildlife in the Western Great Lakes, (WGL). The annual hunts are past, and so few wolves were harvested that populations were expanding anyway.
Wolf advocates though surprised have been appreciative of what is a "win" for their side. David Mech America's widely accepted leading wolf researcher and founder of the International Wolf Center said of the ruling, "It sure is going to surprise a lot of people, especially wolf biologists,’’ . Star Tribune Unfiltered comments coming as they did Friday evening after the sun had crossed the yardarm, from directors of conservation orgs and state wildlife agencies were less sanguine.
Scientifically I don't think there is much argument amongst scientists, or state and federal wildlife managers. Minnesota alone was home to roughly twice the number of wolves as in the entire northern rocky mountains. The current cull rate was exceeded by population increases. The current delisting had been held up for a decade by obstructive litigation.
Wolves however are a political issue, not a scientific one, and are seen in moral terms as seen in many diaries and comments here at DK. Wolves come with a complete quasi scientific mythology and vocabulary. It is no doubt from this perspective that the judge who might well have never taken a step off the pavement ruled.
I personally like many others who live far away from this conservation action could care less about listing or delisting in the WGL. It will have no direct affect on me or on anyone I know, but there is a potential upside.
Wyoming also had a confusing relisting recently via a judge on the other side of the continent that seemingly didn't make much sense, and made even less sense when Wyoming promptly complied with the judge's wishes yet received no relief being required to return to the years long delisting process.
Wyoming by itself currently has about zero political clout, come January they will have much more. Also amongst the WGL legislators is Al Franken, a longtime and strong supporter of delisting, one of five Democratic senators from the WGL.
A rider such as was passed for Idaho and Montana, is certainly something on the minds of everyone now. A rider perhaps including the WGL and Wyoming and maybe even areas not yet delisted. The Montana/Idaho rider simply affirmed the delisting of the US Fish and Wildlife Service but it was a de facto override of the Endangered Species Act. The ESA has been long overdue for a reset, whether it's by nibbling away via riders, a rewrite of the EAJA, or other forms I just don't know. I'm sure there are some Republican legislators who along with their financial backers are chomping at the bit, not to delist wolves but to put some serious hurt on the ESA. This ruling will no doubt add pressure and cover to do so.
I'd think the pendulum is about to swing back, how far is anyone's guess.
Update: To the predictable trolls. I don't even read troll comments, and based on past experience I'm not missing much. What I wrote speaks for itself. I'm sure there will be ample opportunities to revisit the subject, indeed the Sage Grouse rider is but a sample of what's to come.