Northern Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany’s proposed bill to delist gray wolves from the endangered species list has passed committee.

According to a press release, the Pet and Livestock Protection Act passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee this week. It is now ready for a full vote in the House of Representatives.

The legislation would remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List. It would also prevent a judicial review of the move. The animals have proven troublesome for Northern Wisconsin residents in recent years, occasionally attacking livestock and pets.

“The damage to pets, livestock, and wildlife from an unmanaged wolf population can no longer be ignored,” said Congressman Tiffany. “The gray wolf has exceeded federal and state recovery goals, with over 1,000 wolves now thriving in Wisconsin. It’s time to take the next step, delist them, and let the people closest to the gray wolf manage their population levels.”

The wolves are currently still protected. Some residents are deploying creative strategies to protect their animals like adding new fencing. Unfortunately, the “predator-proof” fencing remains too costly for some farms and could simply redirect the wolves to a neighbor’s farm.

Conservation groups say the state needs to balance the needs of the gray wolf population with the needs of residents. Stakeholders have not agreed on how to achieve that goal. Some called for a population goal as low as 350 wolves, with the current population estimated to be between 800 and 1,200.

Governor Tony Evers vetoed a bill to establish a statewide population goal last year. He argued that the Department of Natural Resources needs more flexibility in population management.

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