Court Orders ESA Wolf Review, Idaho Maintains State Control

Idaho continues to manage its wolf population under state authority despite a recent federal court ruling that challenges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2024 decision to remove Endangered Species Act protections for wolves in the Western U.S. The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy requires the agency to reconsider its conclusion, citing concerns that Idaho and Montana may be overestimating their wolf populations and not using the best available science. Idaho Fish and Game maintains that its wolf population, estimated at 1,235 in spring 2024, far exceeds the federal recovery goal of 150 and has been sustainably managed since wolves were delisted from ESA protection in 2011. The state plans to reduce the population to a yearly average of about 500 wolves while ensuring it remains above recovery criteria and within ecological and social carrying capacity. Conservationists argue the ruling is a victory for wolf protections, citing recent legislative changes in Idaho that expanded hunting and trapping, while state officials emphasize that wolf management decisions should be left to the states rather than dictated by the federal government or courts. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must now decide whether to relist wolves under federal protection, with Idaho awaiting further action.