Questions and Answers about
Gray Wolves in North America
An Index to the Questions with Links to the Answers

Population Status

What is the historical range of the gray wolf in the contiguous United States?

What are the current population designations of the gray wolf in the United States?

How many wild wolves are there currently in individual states?

How are population estimates made for wolves?

What is the status of wolf recovery for the Eastern gray wolf, the Northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf, and the Mexican gray wolf?

What is happening with the idea of restoring gray wolves to the northeastern U.S.?

What is happening with the idea of reintroducing wolves to the Olympic Peninsula?

What is the extent of wolf depredation*?

Why are wolves killed to protect livestock when the species is endangered?

How is the Service considering gray wolf taxonomy in its review?

Endangered Species Act Process

Why were wolves added to the Federal Endangered Species list if there were large populations of them in Canada and Alaska?

What is the current Federal designation for gray wolves in the United States?

What is the difference between "threatened" and "endangered" and "non-essential, experimental ?"

What are the Service's goals for the gray wolf?

What is a "viable population?"

What is meant by "recovery," "reclassification," and "delisting?"

How were the reclassification and recovery (i.e., delisting) criteria for the wolf developed?

What will happen when the wolf numbers and distribution meet the reclassification or delisting criteria identified in the recovery plan?

If the wolf has met reclassification and/or delisting criteria does the Service have to reclassify and/or delist ?

How will the Fish and Wildlife Service determine if reclassifying and/or delisting the wolf is appropriate?

How will the Service reclassify/delist the wolf?

What is a 4(d) rule for a threatened species, and how are such rules applied to the wolf?

How will Native American Tribes be involved in the delisting process and in the management of wolves following delisting?

How will the Service ensure a "viable" population after delisting?

What is the Service's schedule for reclassifying and delisting the eastern gray wolf?

How will this proposal affect the current appeal of a Wyoming court decision which is before the 10th circuit regarding the experimental wolf populations in Yellowstone and Idaho?

How will "problem wolves" (wolves that are killing livestock or dogs) be handled if a wolf population is delisted?

What happens if wolf populations decline after the species is delisted?

How will wolf populations be monitored if it is "delisted?"

What about red wolf recovery?

How many wolves are there in Alaska?

Wolf Ecology