By Shannon K. Jones
Staff Reporter
P>The Humane Society of the United States won a controversial case against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday, Sept. 13, as a federal judge ruled the wolf killing permits the USFWS issued to Michigan and Wisconsin be voided.
Michigan had been permitted to take up to 20 wolves that posed an immediate threat to livestock and pets in April of this year. The court ruled against the USFWS permits, citing the USFWS did not give the public the opportunity to comment, as required by the Endangered Species Act, before issuing the kill permit.
Gray wolves have been a controversial issue, particularly in the Upper Peninsula, as recent figures indicate the population is on the rise. The animal is protected under both federal and state law, however, the temporary permit was designed to ease the frustration of livestock owners voiced as their animals were being taken down by wolves.
At this time the federal agency has applied for new permits, which would require a 30-day public comment period.
Michigan's Department of Natural Resources is continuing to monitor the problem and began a series of hearings in May designed to gather input about a population control plan, which is expected to be released next year. The state, however, cannot take action until the animal is removed from the federal endangered species list.
The gray wolf was originally listed as an endangered species in 1973, after humans had hunted them almost to the point of extinction. A recent survey of Michigan's wolf population indicates approximately 400 of the creatures are roaming the state. Gray wolves traditionally shy away from human contact, feeding upon smaller animals, such as beaver and rabbits.
According to the HSUS, no attack on a human by a healthy, wild wolf has ever been confirmed in North America.
