Letter responds to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announcement that gray wolves no longer need protections
WASHINGTON (December 11, 2025)—Today, lawmakers dedicated to upholding the Endangered Species Act sent a letter urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reverse course on its recently announced cancellation of the National Wolf Recovery Plan. In their letter, 46 members of Congress emphasized the need for a science-backed approach to gray wolf recovery in the lower 48 states, that engages ranchers, animal advocates and other concerned parties.
Humane World Action Fund, a member organization of the Endangered Species Coalition, supported the letter, led by ESA Caucus Co-Chairs Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI). View a PDF of the letter at this link.
Addressing their concerns to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik, the signing members of Congress assert:
“This decision appears to respond to political pressure rather than support science-based decision-making, so that the Service can once again attempt a nationwide delisting from the ESA without engaging in a transparent process to evaluate what is needed to achieve gray wolf recovery for the American people... It is critical that any future decisions concerning the ESA status of gray wolves start with developing a comprehensive nationwide recovery plan based upon the best available science.”
Once nearly wiped out in the lower 48 states, gray wolves have slowly begun to recover thanks to the Endangered Species Act; however, recent attempts to remove federal protections have unleashed brutal state policies in places like Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, where wolves are chased with hounds, strangled in snares, and even tormented. Science shows these tactics not only hinder recovery but make conflicts with livestock worse by destabilizing wolf packs. Non-lethal methods work better, and with wolves benefiting ecosystems and reducing costly deer collisions, protecting them remains both a conservation and economic imperative.
"The plight of wolves demands a rational, science-based plan for management of their populations and habitats, one that is free of politics and special interests. The Fish and Wildlife Service should deliver a plan that fulfils that goal, not taking steps to amplify the chaos and carnage unleashed in some states over the last several years,” said Sara Amundson, president of Humane World Action Fund. “We stand with the congressional ESA Caucus and other lawmakers pushing back against delisting efforts and backing an evidence-based, research-driven approach to protecting the gray wolf.”
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Media Contact: Liz Bartolomeo: 240-472-0475, ebartolomeo@humaneaction.org
