U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed wolverines as ‘threatened’ under the Endangered Species Act on Nov. 29
EBS STAFF
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will pursue legal action against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its 2023 listing of wolverines as a threatened species.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the listing on Nov. 29, citing climate change and its associated impacts on wolverine habitat. “Based on the best available science, this listing determination will help to stem the long-term impact and enhance the viability of wolverines in the contiguous United States,” FWS pacific regional director Hugh Morrison stated in a Nov. 29 news release.
The listing opened a 60-day public comment period, which remains open until Jan. 29. More than 16,000 comments have been submitted.
In a Jan. 25 press release, Montana FWP stated it had filed a notice of intent to sue. The State of Montana will soon file a lawsuit in federal district court.
“In Montana, wolverines continue to do well and inhabit much, if not all, of their available habitat,” stated Quentin Kujala, chief of conservation policy. “We work closely with our neighboring states to ensure the continued conservation of these iconic species. Federal protections in this case will only get in the way of good conservation work.”
FWP Director Dustin Temple added that wolverines in the Northern Rockies “are doing well” and that the listing is unnecessary and fails to recognize current science.
“In its listing, the FWS also used climate models from the year 2100 to point to a projected decrease in snowpack to justify its move. This rationale was used despite recent science that shows wolverines are adaptable and able to den and reproduce without snow,” the FWP release stated.
FWP also claimed that FWS “switched course” by distinguishing the population segments of wolverines in Canada and the Lower 48—protections and conservation efforts already exist in Canada and states including Montana, according to the release.
Read the recent EBS column about wolverines and learn why some believe the species is “the Rocky Mountains’ poster child for climate change.”
