"CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Wyoming wolves are back under federal projection after a ruling Tuesday by a federal judge in Washington, D.C.

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Tuesday rejected a Wyoming wolf-management plan that had declared wolves unprotected predators that could be shot on sight in most of the state. Her ruling sided with national environmental groups that had argued Wyoming's management plan afforded insufficient protection for wolves.

``We're thrilled that protections for Wyoming's fragile population of wolves have been restored,'' said Noah Greenwald, endangered species director with the Center for Biological Diversity. ``With Wyoming allowing wolves to be shot on sight across more than 80 percent of the state, there is no way protections for wolves should have ever been removed.'' "

Ben Neary reports for the Associated Press September 23, 2014. [2]