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A television station in Montana reported Thursday that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will take over management of gray wolf populations in southern Idaho.
The report by KECI said that the federal action is in response to Idaho Gov. Butch Otter's decision to abandon state management of the species.
Otter, a Republican, objects to Interior secretary Ken Salazar's decision to forbid a public hunt of gray wolves in the Gem State.
In aletter to Salazar dated Oct. 18, Otter wrote that Idaho has skillfully managed wildlife within its borders, including "your wolves."
Gray wolves north of I-90 in Idaho are protected by the Endangered Species Act. Those south of that highway are not, and it is that population that will now be managed by FWS.
A spokesperson for FWS said Thursday that the agency will investigate all reports of wolf depredation.
Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, photo by Carter Niemeyer.
