Common sense prevails as a Montana District Judge bans Wolverine Trapping in the state until a full population status is determined ........As we all know, the Wolverine is the most endangered of all of our native carnivores, with perhaps 250 individuals still roaming the Rocky Mountains

Judge temporarily halts wolverine trapping

greatfallstribune.com; john Adams 

FILE - This undated image provided by Glacier National Park, shows a wolverine inside Glacier National Park, Mont. The Obama administration announced Tuesday May 10, 2011 that it intends to work through a backlog of more than 250 imperiled animal and plant species, including the wolverine, over the next six years to decide if they need protection under the Endangered Species Act. (AP Photo/Glalcier National Park, Jeff Copeland) / AP

HELENA — Montana District Court Judge Jeffery Sherlock on Friday granted an injunction stopping the wolverine trapping season until a full hearing on state's trapping season can be heard.

The Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Helena Hunters and Anglers and six other conservation groups filed a lawsuit in October aimed at outlawing wolverine trapping in Montana. Federal wildlife officials in December 2010 determined wolverines were eligible for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Wolverine numbers have been in long-term decline and their habitat is dramatically shrinking because of warmer temperatures and reduced area of spring snow, which the animals use to den, rear their young and scavenge for food.

The plaintiffs asked the judge to stop wolverine trapping in Montana until the full case can be heard. Wolverine trapping was set to begin Saturday. Montana is the only state in the Lower 48 to allow wolverine trapping. "We are happy that the judge stopped trapping before more wolverines could be killed," said Mike Garrity, executive director of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies.

Once prolific across the West, the population of wolverine in the Lower 48 states is now down to no more than 250-300 individuals, of which Montana has the highest concentration of about 100-175, according to wildlife experts.

The Alliance in August petitioned Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission to halt trapping. Garrity said the commission did not respond to the petition and did not formally open the wolverine trapping issue to public comment after the petition was filed. Consequently, the Alliance and its co-plaintiffs filed suit in state district court in October, challenging continued trapping as a violation of state laws requiring maintenance or restoration of rare animals.