President Donald Trump's administration has taken steps to remove endangered species protections for wolves, sparking outrage among conservationists who argue this move could jeopardize the recovery of these iconic predators from the brink of extinction. In an executive order aimed at assisting cattle ranchers with livestock losses, Trump has given Interior Secretary Doug Burgum 90 days to determine whether the gray wolf and the Mexican wolf have met recovery criteria for delisting under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). If deemed recovered, the secretary is to initiate the delisting process.
Upon such a determination, Secretary Burgum and other officials are to collaborate with state authorities to encourage the passing of similar measures and the relaxation of standards for killing wolves. During an Oval Office event with ranchers, Trump seemed confused about the immediate effects of the order, asking, 'But you can shoot them as of today?' He was corrected by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who humorously responded, 'Secretary Burgum has to do a little magic.'
Historically, it is estimated that at least a quarter of a million wolves roamed across the United States before campaigns of eradication by European settlers reduced their numbers significantly. During his first term, Trump delisted gray wolves but not the more endangered Mexican wolves. However, Friday's executive order includes both species. Former President Joe Biden's administration fought to uphold the Trump delisting in court but ultimately lost in 2022, leading to a reversal of the policy.
Current estimates place the number of gray wolves in the contiguous United States at around 7,600, according to the Wolf Conservation Center. The Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team reports that there were 317 Mexican wolves at the end of 2025. Ben Greuel, wildlife campaign manager at the Sierra Club, criticized the move as a political maneuver to appease cattle ranchers upset by the administration's decision to temporarily increase lower-tariff beef imports. 'Trump is putting gray wolves and Mexican wolves in the crosshairs to placate the backlash caused by his own beef import policies,' Greuel said. 'Turning wolf protections into political damage control will do nothing to lower grocery bills or help families struggling with the cost of living.'
Conservationists also highlight that ranchers are already eligible for compensation for livestock losses to wolves under state and federal programs, including the Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which covers up to 100 percent for confirmed kills. In July, Trump's government finalized three rules that weaken the Endangered Species Act, including rescinding the longstanding definition of 'harm,' which had covered habitat destruction, and scrapping a rule that automatically applied endangered species protections to those listed as 'threatened.' Another rule now requires the government to consider economic and national security tradeoffs when designating critical habitats.
For Bangladeshi readers, this development underscores the global challenges in balancing conservation efforts with economic interests. The fate of endangered species often hinges on political decisions that can have far-reaching ecological and socio-economic impacts.
