Trial: Introduction

Home | Help | Resources

INTRODUCTION




		See the Gray Wolf 2002 Annual Report.




		See a synopsis of the Endangered Species Act

WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?

You've learned about Yellowstone National Park and studied the effects of the reintroduction of wolves on moose and other species in this ecosystem. The reintroduction of the gray wolf appears to be a success. There were an estimated 271 individuals in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem wolf population at the end of 2002 (up from the original 25 that were released in 1995 and 1996). The entire population for the Northern Rockies area is about 660 animals. The wolves have even expanded their range and individuals have been seen in the states of Washington and Oregon as well as other parts of Idaho. But what does the future hold?

As of right now, more legal battles loom because the federal government has reclassified the gray wolf from endangered to threatened and is proposing delisting it. If the wolf is delisted it is removed from the federal list of endangered species altogether, thereby ending its protection under federal law. Might this cause the wolf to become endangered again? Or might the wolf survive without help from the federal government?

PERSPECTIVES

Plaintiff:
	Wolf Survival Fund (population biologist)	text only
	Eco-Trips	text only
Defense:
	Institute for Habitat Studies (biologist)	text only
	Sheep Rancher	text only

WHY AM I HERE?

This trial will give you the chance to discover and explore multiple points of view on the wolf issue in the Greater Yellowstone Area. You may not agree with them, but every point of view is valuable in understanding a complex conservation issue and how the law is applied. The plaintiffs and defendants are not actual organizations or people, but the viewpoints they represent are true to this issue.

For the purposes of this trial, you will take on one of the following roles: an attorney for the plaintiff, a sheep rancher, a Native American wildlife manager, the owner of an eco-tourism company, a defense attorney, a field biologist, or an environmental activist working on behalf of wolves. Or you can elect to be a scoring judge. Read through all the different roles in the Trial Roles page for a better understanding of the entire lawsuit.