page_title: Environmental issues in Wyoming
section_title: Protection and reintroduction
hierarchical_section_title: Environmental issues in Wyoming / Wildlife / Gray wolves / Protection and reintroduction
context_page_description: The U.S. state of Wyoming faces a broad array of environmental issues stemming from environmental changes including species introduction, endangered species, global climate change, and natural resource extraction. These changes have led to varying ecological harm to the forests and natural species of wildlife that call Wyoming home. Within the state organizations and governments are working to combat these environmental threats and restore balance to the ecology.
context_section_description: The gray wolf was provided protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1974. ESA protection made it illegal to kill wolves or destroy their habitats. Listing wolves under the ESA also initiated the production of a recovery plan. The recovery originally planned for wolf recovery through natural wolf dispersal from Canada but was later modified.
  
  In 1994 U.S. Fish and Wildlife submitted a report to congress recommending wolves be reestablished in Idaho and Yellowstone National Park as nonessential experimental populations. In March 1995 3 groups of 6, 5 and 3 wolves were released into Yellowstone National Park. This release marked the beginning of a successful reintroduction effort coordinated with multiple wildlife agencies from multiple U.S. States and Canadian Provinces. A total of 31 wolves were released in Yellowstone National Park.
caption: U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Wyoming Game and Fish Officials carry a reintroduced wolf to an acclimation pen.
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