North Carolina governor: Endangered-wolf protection should remain in place

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is urging federal authorities not to reduce protections for endangered red wolves, a species unique to the state.

In a letter sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Monday, Gov. Roy Cooper asked the agency to maintain the current five-county conservation area for the endangered species.

“The wild red wolf is part of the cultural and economic fabric of our state and is the only wolf unique to the United States.” Cooper said in the letter, later adding that he had directed agencies under his control to work with federal wildlife officials to help with conservation efforts. “There is a viable path forward for North Carolina’s red wolves living in the wild.”

Only about 35 red wolves remain in the wild — all in eastern North Carolina — down from 120 a decade ago. Another 200 live in captive breeding programs. Once common across the Southeast, the red wolf had been considered extinct in the wild as of 1980. Releases of captive-bred wolves started in 1987.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in June proposed to reduce the current conservation area to federal land in two counties and lift restrictions on killing wolves that stray from that area. A public comment period ended this week, and federal officials estimated it would take until November to finalize new rules.

Until then, red wolves are governed by existing rules and other restrictions ordered by a federal judge. That pending litigation could also hamper federal efforts to impose new rules.

In a letter accompanying Gov. Cooper’s request to federal authorities, Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Susi Hamilton warned Monday the proposed changes could again lead to the species’ extinction within two decades.

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman declined to comment on Gov. Cooper’s letter.