It seems like animals are constantly going on and coming off the endangered species list these days.  Just recently Hawaii proposed placing like 48 species at once on their endangered species list, which would be a major first.  While scientists have recently announced the discovery of up to 100 new species and types of sting rays.  It’s getting weirder and weirder out there. Even the judicial system is getting involved in the weirdness.  A week or so ago a federal court overturned the Bush Administration’s decision to take the Gray wolves living in our Western Great Lakes Region from the endangered species list.  Apparently Bush felt that the wolves living up on the lakes were doing just fine.  However, US District Judge Paul Friedman disagreed and sided with environmental groups that accused the government of misreading the law when it removed about 4,000 wolves in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin from the endangered species list. In these regions the wolf has made great progress after being driven nearly to extinction in the lower 48 states.   Though, they seem to be far from out of the woods.  Even in Montana the US Fish and Wildlife Service asked a judge in Montana to return their gray wolves in the Northern Rockies to the endangered species list.  This followed a recent judge’s order in July to bar the public from plans for wolf hunts in the state, and Idaho and Wyoming. The biggest effect this return to the endangered species list will have on the gray wolves is that it will prevent people from shooting or killing wolves that are attacking livestock or pets.  A point of consternation to be sure.  While it will also bar states from permitting the hunting or trapping of wolves. A survey this year found that there were about 2,921 wolves in Minnesota, 537 in Wisconsin and 520 in Michigan.   Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080930/ap_on_sc/gray_wolf_endangered;_ylt=AkcsPq1Wzyopzn5_0TaLAXR4hMgF