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SCI Responds to Court Ruling on Gray Wolf Status TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 8, 2004 – On Jan. 31, Senior Judge Robert Jones of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon dealt a significant blow to gray wolf recovery throughout the United States, and seriously undermined the ability of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to carry out the mandates of the Endangered Species Act. Instead of recognizing the Service’s monumental conservation efforts that resulted in the recovery of large, healthy and viable wolf populations in both the Eastern and Western United States, the Oregon Court invalidated the Service’s Final Rule to reclassify gray wolves from “endangered” to “threatened” status. As a result of Judge Jones’ opinion, gray wolves throughout the United States have regained their “endangered” classification. “Safari Club International disagrees with the Oregon court’s interpretation of the purpose of the Endangered Species Act and of the regulations and policies the Fish and Wildlife Service has established for the administration of the law,” said SCI President John Monson. “SCI also believes that the opinion misapplies judicial precedent established by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in prior Endangered Species Act cases.” The Oregon Court’s opinion was issued in a case brought in October of 2003 by a group of animal rights organizations including Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club and others. Safari Club International intervened in the case together with the Oregon Hunters’ Association, the American Farm Bureau and the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, in order to support gray wolf recovery achieved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and to defend the challenge that had been waged against the Service’s rule to reclassify wolves. Safari Club International will continue to support the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in its efforts to reclassify the gray wolf and will support the Service’s efforts to rectify this erroneous judicial ruling. For more information about Safari Club International, call 520-620-1220 or visit www.safariclub.org. For more on the SCI Foundation or any its charitable programs, call 877-877-3265 or visit www.sci-foundation.org.
Contact: Mike Schwiebert 520-620-1220, ext. 477 |