Only 42 Mexican gray wolves - Federal agency agrees to deadline after settlement

update...

Mexcian gray wolf is one step closer to separate protection under the Endangered Species Act.

A Center for Biological Diversity settlement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, filed today with a federal court, requires the Service to respond by July 31, 2010 — one month from today — to a 32-page petition submitted by the Center last August asking for recognition of the Mexican gray wolf as an endangered species separate from gray wolves in the rest of the country. The federal agency had missed a 90-day deadline to issue an initial finding on the petition’s scientific validity.

[In 1976, the Mexican gray wolf was originally listed as endangered separate from other gray wolves, but in 1978 the Fish and Wildlife Service consolidated the various wolf subspecies listings into a single listing for the conterminous United States.]

"Today’s settlement agreement is a victory for the Mexican gray wolf, which now has a shot to receive the recognition and protection it needs to survive," said Michael Robinson of the Center. "The Mexican gray wolf’s distinctiveness from other gray wolves means their survival and recovery is of heightened significance."

Press Release June 30, 2010

32-pg Petition Aug 11, 2009 (PDF)

UPDATE...

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today it will consider giving stronger protection to the Mexican gray wolf by classifying it as an endangered subspecies in its own right.

The government already recognizes the Mexican wolf as endangered and has not moved to change that status even as it delists other wolf populations. But the wolf was reintroduced in Arizona under rules that don't require a recovery plan.

Public comments are being accepted until Oct. 4. There are two ways to make a comment:

• Go to www.regulations.gov, search for docket FWS-R2-ES-2010-0045, then follow the instructions for submitting comments.

• Write mail to Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R2-ES-2010-0045; Divison of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203.

All comments will be posted on the www.regulations.gov website.

source

More to read:

From: US Fish & Wildlife Service Virtual News Room

Endangered Mexican Gray Wolf May Get New Help

Biological Diversity News Release

Wolf lawsuits filed

The New Mexico-based Wild Earth Guardians filed suit this week and the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity has given notice it intends to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to meet a legal deadline for deciding whether to propose the Mexican gray wolf as an endangered species, separate from other gray wolf subspecies