Jul 16, 3:02 AM (ET)
By H. JOSEF HEBERT
(AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The gray wolf, which once nearly disappeared in the lower 48 states, is making such a comeback that the Interior Department wants to lift federal protection for the animal in the eastern two-thirds of the country.
Interior Secretary Gale Norton was to announce on Friday a proposed rule that would lift protection under the Endangered Species act for gray wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, where there are significant populations, as well as in at least 20 other states.
The rule change includes New England where conservationists fear that loss of federal protection would hurt attempts to develop future wolf populations through migrations from Canada.
Norton was making the announcement at a wildlife science center at Forest Lake, Minn., before traveling to a wildlife sanctuary in Wisconsin where the wolves have been on the rebound as well. Minnesota has the largest gray wolf - also known as timber wolf - population in the United States outside of Alaska where the animal has never been in need of protection.
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20040716/D83RNRA01.html