1995, 1996: Wolves reintroduced in Yellowstone National Park

2003: Idaho, Montana and Wyoming develop management plans for wolves in preparation for their removal from the endangered species list.

January 2004: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rejects the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s wolf management plan.

April 2004: The state of Wyoming files suit against the federal government.

February 2005: Federal judge in Portland, Ore., rules that the Bush administration violated the Endangered Species Act when it relaxed protections for wolves in many states where there are no wolves and no wolf protections.

March 2005: U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson rejects Wyoming’s lawsuit. The state appeals.

July 2005: Governor Freudenthal and the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission submit a petition to delist wolves to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The USFWS has 90 days to determine if the state’s petition has merit. If a positive find is issued, the federal government then has one year to act.

August 2005: Idaho Governor Dick Kempthorne submits a plan to the U.S. Department of the Interior to remove wolves from protected status in western states other than Wyoming (Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Washington and Oregon). No action has been taken.