MISSOULA, Mont.— Conservation and animal advocates will present oral arguments Wednesday in a federal court case that will decide whether the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service unlawfully refused to restore federal Endangered Species Act protections to gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains.

What: Oral arguments in three related lawsuits challenging the 2024 decision denying petitions to restore federal protections for wolves in the northern Rockies. The lead case is titled Center for Biological Diversity et al v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service et al (9:24-cv-00086-DWM).

When: Wednesday, June 18, 9 a.m. MT.

Where: Russell Smith Federal Courthouse in Missoula, Montana, with live streaming.

Who: The Center for Biological Diversity, Humane World for Animals (formerly called The Humane Society of the United States) and Sierra Club are plaintiffs in the lead case. Senior District Judge Donald W. Molloy will preside over the hearing. Counsel for the wolf advocates will be outside the courtroom to answers questions after the hearing.

Background

Wolves in Idaho, Montana, eastern Washington, eastern Oregon and northern Utah lost federal protections through a congressional legislative rider in 2011. Following a court battle, wolves in Wyoming also lost federal protection in 2012. Since losing Endangered Species Act protection, wolves in the northern Rockies have suffered widespread persecution under state laws.

In 2021 multiple conservation groups sought relisting of wolves under the Endangered Species Act, arguing that federal protection is necessary after Idaho and Montana passed legislation aimed at drastically reducing wolf populations in those states. In August 2022 the groups were forced to sue the Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to make a final decision on their petition to protect gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains.

The agency’s denial of the groups’ petition was announced in February 2024. Conservation groups then challenged the denial by filing this lawsuit in April of last year.

In early February 2024 the agency also announced that that it will develop — for the first time — a national recovery plan under the Endangered Species Act for gray wolves in the lower 48 states. That commitment stems from a successful lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity. The agency will exclude wolves in the northern Rockies from that planning effort unless they regain their federal protections.

In 2022 a federal judge in California restored federal protections to gray wolves outside of the northern Rocky Mountains, reversing a Trump-era rule. That case is now before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.