Finally, the gray or timber wolf's story is one of the most compelling tales of American wildlife. Traditionally shunned because people fear them and consider them pests for killing livestock, gray wolves have been shot, trapped, and poisoned, even in nature reserves. By the time the gray wolf was declared a protected species in 1973, only a few hundred remained in small pockets of the country. Today, the gray wolf population has been revived in some of its former habitats, like Yellowstone National Park, due to strong conservation efforts. They have also started as a returning to places like Washington and ldaho. The gray wolf is now listed as a species of least concern by lUCN.
In 2006, the United States government declared May 11 to be Endangered species Day-a day devoted to raising awareness of endangered species. With such positive steps toward educating people on the importance of conservation, there's reason to be optimistic about the future of endangered animals in the U.S.