Graphic: Gray wolves’ history and recovery

Hunting virtually eliminated gray wolves from the western U.S. by the 1930s. The Endangered Species Act offered Canis lupus federal protection in 1973, and wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park more than 20 years later.

Milestones

 

Milestones

1973 Northern Rocky Mountains gray wolf placed on endangered species list.

1978 Gray wolf listed throughout range in the Lower 48 states.

1995-96 Wolves from Canada are reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho.

2002 Reintroduced wolves in the Northern Rockies exceeded population goals for 10 consecutive years.

2003-08 The U.S. tries to delist the gray wolf at least three times, but is defeated in court.

2009 Wolves are delisted in Idaho and Montana, where wolf hunting begins; 260 wolves are killed.

2010 Wolf protection is reinstated by a district court.

2011 Federal protections are officially removed in Idaho and Montana, but remain in place in Wyoming.

2012 Wyoming wolf population is delisted and managed by the state. Wolves in the western Great Lakes states are removed from the endangered species list.

April 2013 U.S. officials propose to delist gray wolves in the Lower 48 states, except for a small population in the Southwest.

Sources: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Defenders of Wildlife.

Credits: Graphic by Lorena Iniguez Elebee. Graphics reporting by Julie Sheer. Programming by Anthony Pesce.

Published: April 26, 2013

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