WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order initiating the process of removing grey wolves from federal endangered species protections, arguing that ranchers need greater authority to protect their livestock from predators.
The order, signed on Friday alongside ranchers at the White House, directs the Department of the Interior to determine whether grey wolves and Mexican wolves have recovered sufficiently to be removed from protection under the Endangered Species Act.
The department has been given 90 days to complete the process.
The order also calls on federal officials to make it easier for ranchers to kill wolves when the animals are considered a threat to livestock or people.
Trump backs greater authority for ranchers
The move represents a significant victory for ranchers who have long argued that federal protections restrict their ability to respond when wolves attack their cattle.
“You’re not allowed to protect yourself, right? Or your company, your cattle,” Trump said while announcing the policy alongside ranchers.
The president then asked the ranchers for their views on allowing them greater freedom to protect their livestock.
The administration argues that greater control is needed as wolf populations have expanded in parts of the United States.
Wolves made a major recovery
Grey wolves were once driven close to extinction across much of the United States following decades of hunting and government-backed eradication programmes.
Their populations gradually recovered following federal protections and reintroduction efforts.
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That recovery, however, has fuelled a new dispute between ranchers and conservationists.
Ranchers say increasing wolf populations pose a growing threat to cattle and other livestock, while conservation groups warn that removing federal safeguards too quickly could reverse decades of conservation progress.
Protection will not end immediately
Trump’s latest executive order does not immediately remove grey wolves from the Endangered Species Act.
Instead, it launches a formal review that could ultimately give individual states and ranchers significantly greater control over wolf populations.
The Trump administration previously attempted to remove federal protections for grey wolves during his first term.
A federal judge overturned that decision in 2022, leaving wolves protected across much of the lower 48 states.
Conservation groups warn of legal challenges
The latest move is expected to face opposition from conservation groups, which have already raised concerns about the potential consequences of reducing federal protections.
Environmental advocates argue that wolves remain an important part of the US ecosystem and that any decision to remove their protected status should be based on scientific evidence about the long-term health of their populations.
The review ordered by Trump will now determine whether grey and Mexican wolves have recovered sufficiently to be removed from federal protection and whether ranchers and states could eventually gain broader authority over their management.
