Gray Wolves No Longer to be Protected: Mammals Taken off Endangered Species List

Wolves are some of the most well-known creatures in the animal kingdom. With their mournful howls and dog-like appearance, wolves can be found in Alaska, Canada and in parts of the U.S. thanks to a program that introduced the mammals back into Yellowstone. Now, though, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that it plans to drop all federal protections for grey wolves in the lower 48 states.

Wolves were once hunted to near extinction in the lower 48 states. They were shot, trapped and poisoned by farmers and ranchers that didn't want them attacking livestock. Although the grey wolf once lived throughout North America, its population numbers plummeted. The wolf became all but extinct in 1974--only a small group of the wolves remained in northern Minnesota when the species were classified as endangered.

Yet the fate of these wolves soon changed. In 1995, officials released wolves at three sites in Yellowstone National Park in an attempt to reintroduce the animals into the wild. Since then, the population of wolves has boomed. More than 6,100 wolves roam the Northern Rockies and western Great Lakes and occupy at least 10 different states, according to the AP.

In fact, this success is partially why the USFWS has decided to delist the animals. Pressured by ranchers, who suffer regular wolf attacks, officials have decided that the population is stable enough to merit being taken off the endangered species list.

Yet there are still those who are concerned. Some scientists believe that there still aren't enough wolves to keep a stable population--at least genetically. Since the wolves were reintroduced in such small numbers, some researchers estimate that they still haven't had the time to accumulate enough genetic diversity. This in particular is important since a healthy genetic population can help stave off issues such as disease or genetic disorders.

It's not just genetic diversity that's at stake, though. Researchers are also concerned about the impact to the surrounding wildlife. In Yellowstone National Park, the reintroduction of wolves acutally helped save the aspen. The wolves culled herds of elk which in turn, stopped eating as many aspen.

Currently, the Center for Biological Diversity is planning on challenging the government in court if it takes the animals off the endangered species list as planned, according to the AP.