WASHINGTON, D.C. —  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal to develop and deploy a long-term recovery plan for gray wolf populations across the country is prudent and will help ensure the species can thrive for future generations as part of U.S. landscapes.

"The recovery of gray wolves in many parts of the country is an incredible conservation success story and the actions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will help sustain a long-term, robust recovery," said Mike Leahy, senior director of wildlife policy at the National Wildlife Federation. “The National Wildlife Federation has long supported nationwide recovery plan and the service's approach has the potential to address the challenges and opportunities wolves face across the nation simultaneously.

"The upcoming national wolf dialogue is an inclusive way to learn more about how Americans view wolves, so we can move beyond conflict to greater acceptance of wolves as a natural part of our landscapes. The Fish and Wildlife Service is right that the science on the population levels and range of wolves does not support relisting as threatened or endangered in the U.S. northern Rockies. That said, it is also clear that some states must do a much better job managing wolves on behalf of all Americans to ensure that population levels remain healthy, so gray wolves never require re-listing as threatened or endangered ever again."