The executive order directs officials to assess whether gray and Mexican wolves have recovered enough for delisting or downlisting under the Endangered Species Act.
Web Desk: US President Donald Trump has ordered a federal review that could eventually lead to the removal or reduction of Endangered Species Act protections for gray and Mexican wolves, a move welcomed by ranchers but criticised by conservation groups.
Trump signed the executive order on September 4 as part of a broader initiative aimed at supporting US ranchers and addressing livestock losses linked to predators.
The order does not immediately remove gray wolves from the endangered-species list. Instead, it directs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to determine within 90 days whether the wolves have met the recovery criteria required for delisting or downlisting.
Trump gives Interior Department 90 days
Under the order, the Interior Department must assess whether gray wolves and Mexican wolves have recovered sufficiently under the Endangered Species Act.
If the department determines that the recovery criteria have been met, it must begin the process of delisting or downlisting the species.
The order also directs the Interior secretary to prepare legislative recommendations for fully removing or reducing federal protections.
The distinction is important because the executive order itself does not instantly change the wolves’ legal status.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service currently says gray wolves in the contiguous 48 states and Mexico — except the Northern Rocky Mountain population — remain protected under the Endangered Species Act following a 2022 court order.
Ranchers could gain greater authority
The order is also aimed at giving ranchers and state authorities greater flexibility when wolves threaten livestock or people.
Federal officials have been directed to consider changes that would make lethal removal of gray and Mexican wolves more responsive in situations involving threats to human safety or domestic livestock.
Trump made the announcement alongside ranchers at the White House.
He argued that ranchers should be able to defend their livestock from predators.
The administration has described the broader executive order as an effort to support the US ranching industry and improve its financial viability.
Wolves remain protected for now
Gray wolves were once heavily reduced across much of the United States following extensive hunting and government-backed eradication campaigns.
Federal protections and reintroduction efforts later helped populations recover.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service says gray wolves remain protected across much of the country, although the Northern Rocky Mountain population is managed separately under state authority.
The Trump administration previously removed federal protections for gray wolves in the Lower 48 states during Trump’s first term. A federal court later vacated that decision in 2022, restoring federal protections across much of the country.
Conservation groups warn of risks
Conservation organisations have criticised the latest move, arguing that reducing federal protections could undermine decades of wolf recovery.
Humane World for Animals said the directive could open the door to expanded killing of wolves and warned that rolling back protections could jeopardise recovery efforts.
The disagreement reflects a longstanding conflict between ranchers, who argue that wolves can threaten livestock, and conservationists, who say federal safeguards remain important for maintaining recovered populations.
The immediate next step is the Interior Department’s assessment of whether gray and Mexican wolves have met the required recovery criteria.
The department has 90 days under Trump’s order to make its determination.
Any eventual delisting or downlisting would involve additional federal regulatory and legal steps rather than taking effect automatically through Trump’s executive order.
For now, gray wolves remain federally protected under the existing Endangered Species Act framework in areas covered by the 2022 court ruling.
