Oregon Public Broadcasting

Ten western environmental groups are suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They want the wolverine listed as an endangered species. The agency has declined. Correspondent Doug Nadvornick reports.

The lawsuit claims the wolverine population is declining for at least two reasons.

The first is climate change. Wolverines live in remote areas, mostly in the northern tier states. They often make dens in the mountains where the snow is heavy.

Joe Scott from the group Conservation Northwest says earlier snow melts caused by global warming are shrinking the wolverines’ habitat. He says that means the animals have fewer places to live.

In addition, he says trappers in Montana can legally kill wolverines.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service responds the wolverine doesn’t meet the criteria for federal protection.

The agency acknowledges the wolverines are hard to find, but says that’s because the animals live in small packs and avoid contact with humans, not necessarily because they’re endangered.

The environmental groups counter that government biologists have recommended the wolverine get federal protection. But they claim the Bush administration quashed that recommendation for political reasons.