Wolf - Western Great Lakes
Midwest Region

 

Map of Region 3 Minnesota Wisconsin Michigan

 

Gray Wolves in the Western Great Lakes States

 

Four wolves. Photo by Corel Corporation, copyright

 

Due to a Federal court decision, wolves in the western Great Lakes area (including Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) were relisted under the Endangered Species Act, effective December 19, 2014.

 

First Post-Delisting Monitoring Report (September 2014)

Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes DPS: 2012-2014 Post Delisting Monitoring Annual Report (19-page PDF)

 

Under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must monitor delisted species for at least five years after delisting. In February 2008 we completed a monitoring plan for the gray wolf Western Great Lakes DPS; implementing the monitoring plan was delayed, however, until delisting became effective in January 2012.

 

This is the first of five annual reports to summarize the best available information on the status of gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes area. We plan to complete subsequent reports at approximately 12-month intervals from this report’s completion date.

 

About Wolves

 

bulletHow many gray wolves are found in the United States.

 

bulletFact Sheet: Gray Wolf History and Biology

 

bulletGray Wolf Biology: Questions and Answers

 

bulletGray wolf recovery in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan

 

Eastern Wolf

Eastern Wolf Status Assessment November 2011 (81-page PDF)

 

Book Documents Wolf Recovery in the Great Lakes Region

 

bulletRecovery of Gray Wolves in the Great Lakes Region of the United States:
An Endangered Species Success Story

 
Wolf Recovery Activities in Other Areas of the U.S.

bulletNorthern Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Program

 

bulletMexican Wolf Recovery Program

 

bulletRed Wolf Recovery Program

 

 
 

Chronology of Federal Actions Affecting Gray Wolf ESA Status in the Western Great Lakes States

 

bulletFeb. 20, 2015: Federal Register Notice: Reinstatement of Final Rules for the Gray Wolf in Wyoming and the Western Great Lakes in Compliance With Court Orders

 

bulletDec. 19, 2014: Due to a Federal court decision, wolves in the western Great Lakes area (including Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) were relisted under the Endangered Species Act

 

bulletDec. 28, 2011: Final Rule to delist the Western Great Lakes DPS - Revising the Listing of the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) in the Western Great Lakes

 

bulletAug. 26, 2011: Comment Period Reopens on Proposal to delist Western Great Lakes DPS

 

bulletMay 5, 2011: Proposal to delist Western Great Lakes DPS, revise the gray wolf listing by removing 29 other states from gray wolf range, and announcement of a National Wolf Strategy

 

bulletApril 21, 2010: Fish and Wildlife Service Invites Comment on Applications for Permits for Wolf Activities in Michigan and Wisconsin
      News Release
      Background Information

 

bulletSeptember 16, 2009: Reinstatement of Protections for the Gray Wolf in the Western Great Lakes in Compliance with Settlement Agreement and Court Order A court order and settlement agreement restored Endangered Species Act protections for the gray wolf in the western Great Lakes on July 1, 2009; this final rule corrects the gray wolf listing status in our regulations.

 

bulletJuly 1, 2009: Delisting Withdrawn to Provide Opportunity for Public Comment

 

bulletApril 2, 2009: Final Rule to Delist Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes DPS

 

bulletMarch 6, 2009: Secretary Salazar Affirms Decision to Delist Gray Wolves in Western Great Lakes, Portion of Northern Rockies

News Release
Podcast

 

bullet January 20, 2009: Rahm Emanuel, White House Chief of Staff, issued a memorandum that directed federal agencies to withdraw all regulations that had not been published in the Federal Register so that they can be reviewed and approved by a department or agency head appointed by the President. Therefore, the final rule to delist the Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes DPS (which was announced on Jan. 14) was withdrawn to allow for further review.

 

bullet January 14, 2009 Announcement that Final Rule to Delist Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes DPS will be published

 

bulletDec. 12, 2008: Department of Interior Solicitor's Opinion in response to Judge's Opinion (PDF)

 

bullet Dec. 11, 2008 Reinstatement of Protections for the Gray Wolf in the Western Great Lakes and Northern Rocky Mountains in Compliance With Court Orders (Dec. 11, 2008) This final rule reinstates Endangered Species Act protection to gray wolves in the upper Midwest (i.e., western Great Lakes states) and northern Rocky Mountains as ordered by the courts as a result of two lawsuits. This action is effective December 11, 2008. However, the court orders had legal effect immediately upon their filing on July 18, 2008, September 29, 2008, and October 14, 2008.

 

bullet September 29, 2008 - Court ruling places western Great Lakes Gray Wolf back under Endangered Species Act protections

 

bullet February 2008 - Post Delisting Monitoring Plan for the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment of the Gray Wolf

 

bullet June 4, 2007 - Draft Post-delisting Monitoring Plan Available for Review and Comment

 

bullet March 12, 2007 - Final Rule to Delist the Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes DPS Becomes Effective

 

bullet February 8, 2007 - Final Rule to Delist the Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes DPS

 

bullet August 9, 2006 - Judge rules against the Service in court case brought by the Humane Society of the U.S. and others that challenged permits issued to Michigan and Wisconsin for use of lethal measures to control wolf depredations.

Background

District Court Judge's Opinion (34-page PDF)

 

bullet May 2006 - Permits issued to Michigan and Wisconsin for use of lethal measures to control wolf depredations

 

bullet March 2006 - Proposal to Delist the Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment

 

bullet December 2005 - Department of Interior declines to appeal Oregon and Vermont Court decisions

 

bulletSeptember 2005 - Michigan and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources apply for permits to use lethal measures to control depredations

 

bullet August 2005 - Vermont court ruling overturns 2003 Final Rule and eliminates gray wolf Eastern Distinct Population Segment (PDF)

 

bullet January 2005 - Oregon court opinion overturns 2003 final rule and nullifies the 2004 delisting proposal

 

bullet 2004 - Proposal to delist the gray wolf Eastern Distinct Population Segment

 

bullet 2003 - Final Rule to designate 3 Distinct Population Segments and change the ESA status of the gray wolf throughout most of the lower 48 States

 

bullet 2000 - Proposal to change the ESA status of the gray wolf throughout most of the lower 48 States

 

bullet 1978 - Reclassification of the Gray Wolf in the United States and Mexico, with Determination of Critical Habitat in Michigan and Minnesota (PDF)

 

bullet 1974 - Gray wolf listed as endangered in the lower 48 States and Mexico

News

 

Howling wolf
Last updated: September 12, 2016