Wildlife advocates plan to file a lawsuit against the federal government over a new rule for managing endangered Mexican gray wolves in the Southwest.
The Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project, WildEarth Guardians and others intend to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act over what they say is the agency’s failure to adopt adequate policies for the animal’s recovery.
Fish and Wildlife recently finalized a rule lifting a population cap on the wolves and temporarily halting some forms of killing the animals for livestock depredations.
But conservation groups say the move doesn’t address the lack of genetic diversity in the species and continues to classify the population as nonessential.
The intent to sue notice gives the agency 60 days to address the issues before the suit is filed in federal court.