Senator: Take gray wolf off protected list

A wolf that once roamed parts of the American Southwest and northern Mexico would be removed from the list of federally protected species under legislation proposed by Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.

Flake introduced the measure last week. He is a critic of the Mexican gray wolf recovery plan that was adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in November, calling it a regulatory nightmare for ranchers and rural communities.

“I plan to continue my efforts to push for real recovery that takes into account the needs of the local stakeholders most impacted by this policy,” Flake said in a statement Monday.

The legislation calls for the director of the Fish and Wildlife Service to determine if a population of fewer than 100 wolves has been established in the species’ historical range along the Arizona-New Mexico border. If so, the predator would be considered recovered and removed from the endangered list.

Management of the wolves would be turned over to state wildlife agencies in Arizona and New Mexico once the Fish and Wildlife Service makes a determination.

An estimated 113 wolves roam parts of Arizona and New Mexico, according to the most recent data. Members of the wolf recovery team will be conducting a new survey in the coming weeks.

There have been unsuccessful legislative efforts in the past to limit protections for the Mexican gray wolf, but environmentalists say Flake’s bill is an attempt to sidestep the Endangered Species Act.