Feds considering listing Southeast Alaska wolf under ESA

By Kati Capozzi

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) says it will consider the possible protection of Southeast Alaska’s Archipelago wolf, found on Prince of Whales Island, under the Endangered Species Act.

The decision to review the status of the wolf comes two years after the Center for Biological Diversity and Greenpeace submitted a petition to protect the species.

Doug Vincent-Lang, director for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Wildlife Conservation, said the state has sustainably managed wolves in the region. “We’re confident that any potential conservation concerns can be adequately addressed through existing mechanisms, including state regulatory mechanisms that are out there. Given that we don’t believe that wolves in Alaska are at risk now or threatened with the risk of extinction in the foreseeable future and as such we don’t believe that there’s a justification for a 90-day positive finding for wolves in Southeast Alaska and we’re disappointed with the service’s decision.”

Steve Brockmann, Southeast Alaska coordinator for the FWS Service, said the status review will look at the best available information on wolf populations. “Honestly the Fish and Wildlife Service would prefer to leave management of the wolf with the State of Alaska where it belongs. We do have a responsibility to list it if it needs to be listed. We intend to work with our partners with the state and the Forest Service to make sure we don’t have to do that when the time comes.”

The finding kicks off a 60-day public comment period, ending May 30th. RDC will post its comments online at akrdc.org.

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