MADISON, Wis. (WHBL) - Federal officials say a second species of wolves appears to be roaming in Wisconsin. And environmentalists are playing up that possibility, to try-and-stop the grey wolf from being taken off the endangered species’ list. Scientists from the U-S Fish-and-Wildlife Service say the Eastern wolf appears to have moved into Wisconsin, joining an estimated 700 grey wolves. But the D-N-R’s Rebecca Schroeder says the two species appear to act as one – and therefore, it should not be a factor in deciding whether to end federal protections for the animals. Schroeder says the Eastern wolf is only a pure species in southern Ontario, and its genetics mixed with Wisconsin’s grey wolves long ago. 

But Noah Greenwald of the Center for Biological Diversity says the genetics’ issue has not been settled – and therefore, it says the federal government should continue its protections for both types of wolves. Greenwald says his group is also concerned with how Wisconsin would manage its wolf population. The state has a management plan it used when the animals were de-listed twice before. It allows farmers to kill problem wolves which kill livestock-and-crops. It does not allow hunting, even though the possibility has been talked about. The Fish-and-Wildlife Service was asked earlier this year to remove grey wolves from the endangered list in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. A final decision is expected by the end of the year. 

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