Feds prepare to end wolf protections in Wyoming

The federal government plans to announce an end to protections for wolves in Wyoming later this month. Spokesmen from some environmental groups say they plan to review the final wolf delisting rule carefully when it's issued Aug. 31. They say legal challenges are likely over the state's plan to classify wolves as predators that can be shot on sight in most areas. Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead recently reached an agreement with U.S. Interior Sec. Ken Salazar that calls for Wyoming to maintain at least 10 breeding pairs of wolves and at least 100 individual animals outside of Yellowstone and the Wind River Indian Reservation in central Wyoming. There are currently about 270 wolves in the state outside Yellowstone. AP