DENVER – The federal government is delaying its decision on whether to protect wolverines under the Endangered Species Act.
The government was expected to rule by Tuesday on whether the animals are threatened and deserve additional protections. Instead, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it would make that decision by Aug. 4. The delay would allow it to examine disputed science about how climate change will affect the wolverine's snow-covered habitat, the agency said.
The delay comes after Western states asked to slow down the listing process. Fewer than 300 wolverines are believed to inhabit the lower 48 states. They have been found in remote locations from Washington state to Colorado.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
