Posted: 7/16/04

Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton makes wolf declassification announcement near Forest Lake

Secretary of the Department of the Interior Gale Norton was at the Wildlife Science Center near Forest Lake on Friday morning (July 16) to announce the declassification of the grey wolf from the endangered species list.

The declassification turns over enforcement of the animals from the federal government to the state government.

When the wolves were placed on the list over 30 years ago they were near extinction, now there are more than 4,000 in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The declassification is only for the North East and Great Lakes states.

The handover, when it is final, means states may start wolf trapping and hunting season. The delisting process usually takes a year due to federal bureaucracy and expected opposition.

Minnesota's management plan calls for hiring another wolf biologist and increased law enforcement. Minnesota will start a wolf trapper certification program and probably will be asked to pay part of the cost of the ongoing federal wolf trapping program.

The Wildlife Science Center has 37 wolves at the present time.

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