3-25-99
After a long time waiting, the date for oral arguments of the appeal before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals on Judge Downes' wolf removal order has been set -- May 13, 1999.
Downes' ruled in December 1997 that the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone and central Idaho was a violation of section 10j of the Endangered Species Act. He ordered all of the reintroduced wolves and their offspring "removed." This now is about 225 wolves and will be probably be well over 300 by the time the U.S. Court of Appeals rules whether Downes was correct.
Downes' stayed his removal order pending appeal.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife has indicated that if Downes' removal order is upheld the wolves will have to be killed. Sometime after his decision, Downes wrote that he didn't mean for the wolves to be killed, only removed. He offered no solution as to where to put the wolves.
Should Downes be upheld, informed observers predict civil disobedience and unrest as citizens strive to protect this biologically successful project.
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