Federal wildlife officials erred in a recent decision to deny federal protections for gray wolves in the western U.S., according to a ruling issued by a district court in Missoula on Tuesday.

U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy sided with the plaintiffs and partially vacated a finding that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued in February 2024 stating that gray wolves did not meet the definition of an endangered or threatened species. Federal wildlife officials must now reconsider that decision, providing an opportunity for the canids to once again receive federal protections.

“With this court ruling comes the hope of true recovery for wolves across the West,” stated Collette Adkins, carnivore conservation director at the Center for Biological Diversity.

The nonprofit was one of

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