Oregon Public Broadcasting

Environmentalists, ranchers, and the state of Wyoming all have plans to challenge Monday’s federal de-listing of the gray wolf. Rob Manning has more.

It’s perhaps not surprising that environmental groups like the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and Defenders of Wildlife are suing.

Suzanne Stone with Defenders of Wildlife says permissive state plans, particularly in Idaho, would allow too many wolves to be killed. But Stone says delisting the wolf raises another legal question -- because the decision treats one state differently.

Suzanne Stone: “Trying to delist in Idaho and Montana, but not including Wyoming, is something that the Fish and Wildlife Service has said from the beginning is not legal to do, yet that's what they're pursuing right now." 

The rancher group, the Wolf Coalition, and the state of Wyoming, plan to sue over the ongoing federal listing for the Wyoming wolves.

Lawsuits can be filed officially, in about a month.

Wolves aren’t considered “resident” in Oregon.  Now that the animals are not on the federal endangered species list, any wolves straying into Oregon must rely on state protection.