The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has denied petitions from conservation groups to restore Endangered Species Act protections to gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains. The agency has announced that it will develop a National Recovery Plan for the wolves by December 2025. This decision allows state-sanctioned wolf hunts to continue in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, and comes after an assessment that concluded that the wolf population maintains high genetic diversity and connectivity. Conservation groups are considering legal action in response to the decision, expressing disappointment and concerns over state management measures.