U.S. to reduce protections for gray wolves

The Interior Department is expected to announce that it is lifting protections for gray wolves in the coming days, rules put in place in the 1970s following a period of widespread killings by farmers and ranchers, the Associated Press reports.

Between the lines: While the administration is going to argue that wolves have largely made a comeback from these killings, wildlife advocates are likely to push for federal protections to remain in place until wolves repopulate within their historic range, which spans across the country.