[ODFW-News] Gray wolf reclassified; remains endangered under Oregon law

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 	
Contact: 	Anne Pressentin Young (503) 872-5264 x5356	
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (503) 872-5700
	
For Immediate Release	Tuesday, March 18, 2003

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Reclassifies Wolf Due to Recovery
Gray Wolf Remains Endangered under Oregon Law

PORTLAND - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that gray wolves will be reclassified throughout the west from 'endangered' to 'threatened' under the federal Endangered Species Act due to successful recovery efforts in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. 

Despite the federal government's reclassification of gray wolves to the 'threatened' designation, the species remains listed as 'endangered' under Oregon state law, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said today.

The Oregon Endangered Species Act currently bans the killing of wolves in Oregon, even if they are in the act of killing livestock. However, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has the authority to adopt rules aligned with the federal reclassification to grant 'damage take' permits to livestock owners, if the rules are consistent with conserving the species in Oregon. 

"Now that wolves have finally been down-listed, we need to determine exactly how the federal rules mesh with state rules and what actions the Commission can take to ensure consistency and avoid unnecessary confusion," said Ron Anglin, Wildlife Division Administrator for ODFW. "This issue will be the main topic of discussion Thursday with the Commission."

Oregon statutes and administrative rules state that down-listing and de-listing a species requires a public rulemaking process by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, complete with full public notice, public hearing and opportunity to submit comments. The law requires the Commission to base any down-listing or de-listing decision on scientific criteria related to the wolves' status in Oregon. No wild wolves are confirmed to live in Oregon at this time. While Oregon has no intention of actively reintroducing wolves, biologists are faced with managing wolves that disperse into Oregon from Idaho. 

The Commission is scheduled to discuss wolf management for Oregon Thursday, March 20, at its regularly scheduled monthly meeting in Newport. ODFW staff and legal counsel are analyzing both state ESA law and the recently publicized federal reclassification rule. The results of the analysis will be presented Thursday. Information on the Commission's meeting is posted to the ODFW Web site at: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/meeting_schedule/march/march20.htm.  

Information on the federal reclassification can be found at
http://midwest.fws.gov/wolf/fnl-rule/index.html .

Information on wolves in Oregon can be found at: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/InfoCntrWild/gray_wolf/wolf_main.htm .

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Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 872-5264 ext 5528