The Spirit Guide's New Groove

Back in April I posted a blog entry called "My Spirit Guides Are Not Pleased". It reported on the Gray Wolf being removed from the Endangered Species List. They had made such a successful recovery that they no longer needed protection. That announcement was followed almost immediately by another announcement that basically said let the killing of wolves begin.

I am pleased to report that due to a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, Earthjustice, the National Resources Defense Council, and Defenders of Wildlife the Bush Administration has backed down and reversed their decision. THE WOLVES ARE BACK ON THE LIST AS A FULLY PROTECTED SPECIES. My spirit guides are doing the happy dance.

Here's the first newspaper story about the decision:

Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 16, 2008

Feds retreat on Northern Rockies wolf hunting plan

By Matthew Brown (Associated Press)

BILLINGS, Mont. -- A federal wildlife official says the government plans to retreat for now from its attempt to take gray wolves in the Northern Rockies off the endangered species list.

Ed Bangs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the government in the next week plans to withdraw a rule issued this spring. The rule was based on the assertion that the region's approximately 1,500 wolves were recovered fully, opening the way for public hunting of wolves to begin this fall in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.

Those hunts had been in doubt since July, when U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy blocked them from going forward pending resolution of a lawsuit by environmentalists.

The decision to withdraw the rule listing wolves as fully recovered is subject to final approval by Department of Justice attorneys.

As the story says, it is still subject to final approval however, the government abandoned their defense of the law suit. Always a good sign.