"Gray wolves that inhabit the Northern Rocky Mountains will not receive protections under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced Friday.

In making this determination, the federal agency rejected petitions from wildlife conservation groups to list the animals under the ESA in the Northern Rockies and the Western U.S.

The decision, which maintains the status quo, stems from a comprehensive analysis that incorporated best available data from federal, state and tribal sources, according to the FWS.

After modeling various threats to the wolves, including human-induced mortality and diseases, the agency concluded that the wolves are not at risk of extinction in the U.S. West."

Sharon Udasin reports for The Hill February 2, 2024. [2]