Interior said it will monitor the wolf populations in the region for the next five years.
“If it appears, at any time, that the gray wolf cannot sustain itself without the protections of the [Endangered Species Act], [Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service] can initiate the listing process, including emergency listing,” the department said in a statement.
The decision is a victory for ranchers, who were barred from killing wolves that attacked their livestock under the endangered species rules. But it will likely heighten concerns among conservationists, who have fought for years to ensure the animals are adequately protected.
Delisting gray wolves has been a long-time priority for lawmakers from Western states that are reliant on ranching. Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee's Interior panel, has pushed legislative language aimed at lifting the protections.
Wednesday’s announcement comes amid plans to remove wolves from the endangered species list in other parts of the country. But Interior said it will delay a decision on whether to delist wolves in 29 eastern states.
Gray wolves were first put on the endangered species list in the 1970s.
