Wisconsin Lawmaker Calls for Wolves to be Removed from Endangered Species List
Friday, July 15th, 2016 -- 8:12 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -Recent reports of wolf attacks on Wisconsin livestock is prompting one lawmaker to call attention to the idea that the protected animals need to be regulated once again.Rep. Scott Krug says last week's incident in which a wolf killed seven sheep on a farm near Wisconsin Rapids is an indication that it's time to remove them from the endangered species list. The Nekoosa Republican says that if the state can work with the federal government to reinstate its wolf hunt, it will help cut down on farm animal depredation. In late May, a Rhinelander farm couple said wolves killed 17 of their prized show sheep--some of which were valued at $5,000 per animal.
The Department of Natural Resources recently announced that Wisconsin's wolf population is now the highest on record. But since a judge's ruling in 2014, wolves are protected through the federal endangered species act and can no longer to hunted. Meanwhile, another group of state lawmakers have organized the so-called Great Lakes Wolf Summit to be held in Cumberland on September 15. They are inviting wildlife officials, scientists, and interested parties from Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota to discuss the necessity for state-led wolf management programs.
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