A coalition of agriculture and forestry groups filed court motions defending the delisting of the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act. Three cases filed by environmental and animal welfare groups are challenging the delisting saying that the wolf needs to be put back on the list. This leads the coalition to defend the decision because they said the recovery of the gray wolf has been a success and also this gives people the right to protect private property like farms from wolves.
The coalition gave the court personal stories that portrayed the harm inflicted by unchecked wolf populations on livestock ranchers and farmers, natural ecosystems, and other wildlife. For example, one Minnesota farmer stated in the filing that he lost 26 calves in a single year to gray wolves. Groups in the coalition include the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Forest Resources Council, the American Sheep Industry Association, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and the Public Lands Council. Since being listed under the ESA in 1974, the gray wolf has exceeded recovery goals by over 300%.
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