Speaking at cross purposes, Fed Fish and Wildlife acknowledges that Wolverines are in desperate need of protection...............but they will not get it immediatedly..............Jeez louise,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,our minute populuation of Wolverines merit protected habitat at the very least ASAP with warming temps and back country skiers intruding on their need for true wilderness solitude and winter snows persisting in Spring for denning

Feds: Wolverine warrants protection

By Howard Pankratz

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that the wolverine warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act."After review of all available scientific and commercial information, we find that the North American wolverine occurring in the contiguous United States is a distinct population segment and that addition of this population to the lists of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants is warranted," said the agency.

The agency said the impact of climate change constitutes a threat to the contiguous U.S. population of the wolverine and will likely be irreversible within the foreseeable future. It said the population of the wolverine of North America wolverine is likely to become in danger of extinction in the foreseeable future due to destruction, modification and curtailment of its habitat and range."The threats to the wolverines are long-term due to the impacts of climate change on their denning habitat, especially important to assist the species in successfully reproducing," said Steve Guertin, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife director for the agency's mountain-prairie region. "If we work with state and other partners to help the wolverine now, we may be able to counter the long-term impacts of climate change on their habitat and keep them from becoming endangered."The agency noted that deep snow is required for successful wolverine reproduction because female wolverines dig elaborate dens in the snow for their offspring. The den structures are thought to protect wolverine kits from predators as well as harsh alpine winters.Data analysis requested from the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group and the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station predict a reduction of wolverines' cold and snowy habitat of 63 percent by 2099 

The agency said that other species are more endangered, so the wolverine won't be listed immediately.It said that rulemaking to propose the species for protection is precluded by the need to address other higher priority species.The agency said the wolverine will be added to the list of candidates for the Endangered Species Act protection, where its review will be reviewed annually.The agency announced on April 15 that it wasinitiating a review of the wolverine and would seek the latest scientific and commercial information from the public, government entities, industry and the scientific and conservation communities.The status review included examination of potential wolverine populations in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.
A young wolverine made history earlier this year when it traveled more than 500 miles from Grand Teton National Park into Colorado, the first known incidence of a wolverine in Colorado since 1919

Read more: Feds: Wolverine warrants protection - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_16847286#ixzz189jQfA1V
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse