Trump has signed an executive order revoking endangered species protections for gray wolves and the Mexican wolf subspecies. The move could allow ranchers to lethal‑control wolves to protect livestock, as the order emphasized the “vital role” ranchers play in the food supply chain and American cultural heritage.
Conservation groups warn the action may undermine long‑term recovery efforts for wolf populations. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service data show 319 Mexican wolves now roam the wild, up from just four when the subspecies was reintroduced in 1998.
Approximately 18,000 gray wolves exist across the United States, yet most of their historic habitats have been lost, keeping them classified as endangered. A 2022 effort to remove federal protection was stalled by lawsuits, and activists have signaled they may challenge the Interior Department’s actions under the new order in court.
The order does not immediately authorize ranchers to kill wolves; it tasks Interior Secretary Doug Burgum with a 90‑day review to assess whether gray and Mexican wolf populations have recovered sufficiently for delisting.
Highlighting that U.S. livestock numbers are at a 75‑year low while beef demand has grown 10 % over the past decade, the order states that “more can and should be done to support this critical industry.”
Environmental organizations cite research indicating that wolf predation on livestock is infrequent and has minimal financial impact on ranchers.
“This is a huge distraction meant to appease a small group of ranchers and mislead them about the true threats,” said Greta Anderson, deputy director of Western Watersheds Project, an organization focused on wildlife conservation in western states.
The Wolf Conservation Center points out that ranchers can receive up to 100 % reimbursement for livestock lost to wolves under existing programs, with states offering funding for non‑lethal deterrent measures.
“Population growth alone does not signify recovery for the Mexican gray wolf,” said Claire Musser, executive director of the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project. “Reducing federal safeguards now would jeopardize decades of conservation progress.”
The order coincides with the administration’s effort to curb record‑high beef prices, which have been driven by drought and a parasite outbreak affecting U.S. beef supplies.
Ranchers have expressed frustration over Trump’s move to ease import restrictions on beef, a step intended to lower consumer prices but one that squeezes their already thin profit margins.
In the late 1800s, federal and state efforts to eradicate wolves—including systematic extermination campaigns and widespread trapping by farmers and landowners—pushed the species to the edge of extinction.
Today, many ranchers still regard wolves as a nuisance, although lethal control without proper permits remains a federal offense.
