NE Gray Wolf Distinct Population Not Warranted

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced a 90-day finding on a petition to list a Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the gray wolf in five northeastern states as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The agency found that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing a DPS of the gray wolf in Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine may be warranted. Therefore, it will not initiate a further status review in response to this petition.

This finding was in response to a petition received on Feb. 4, 2009, requesting that a northeastern gray wolf DPS be listed.

However, any wolf found in the Northeast is still classified as endangered under the lower 48 United States listing and the protection of the act would apply.