BOISE, Idaho — Wildlife advocates have sent a formal petition to relist gray wolves as an endangered species throughout the U.S. West.
The move Thursday is in response to new laws in Idaho and Montana intended to significantly reduce wolf populations. Western Watersheds Project, WildEarth Guardians and others sent the petition Thursday to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The groups cite unregulated hunting, poaching and genetic problems involving small wolf populations. The agency is supposed to respond to the petition within 90 days on whether there is enough information for a potential listing under the Endangered Species Act.
