Yesterday, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) recommended that the California Fish and Game Commission not list the gray wolf as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act.  Following a yearlong review, DFW determined that the scientific evidence does not warrant listing the species at this time.  Instead, DFW recommended designating the gray wolf as a species of special concern – which affords the gray wolf some protection, including prohibiting the killing of the species – with a recommendation to consider placing the gray wolf on the endangered species list at a later date.

The recommendation is in response to a petition filed by environmental groups in 2012 to list the species.  As we reported here, the announcement also follows the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal to delist the gray wolf under the federal Endangered Species Act.