The environmental groups say the wolves deserve full protection under the Endangered Species Act. They are now designated an experimental species, meaning they can be killed if they are caught destroying livestock. The residents, James and Cat Urbigkit, say the new wolves are of a different sub-species than the ones already there and the gene pools should not be mixed. The lawsuits will be heard Feb. 8-9 in U.S. District Court in Casper. Fifteen more wolves are being held in British Columbia for transport to the United States late this week.
Federal officials describe the wolf reintroduction program as a success.
The wolves released in Yellowstone last year produced nine pups. The wolf responsible was captured and returned to Yellowstone. The sheep rancher was reimbursed by an environmental group for the loss. Federal wolf biologist Ed Bangs said that if the program's level of success continues, this will probably be the last year any wolves are brought to the United States. Earlier plans, which forecast higher wolf mortality and lower breeding rates, called for relocating wolves for three to five years.