The Wolf Mountain Sanctuary, Lucerne Valley, Calif.

A dozen environmental groups are suing the federal government over a decision to remove gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains from the endangered species list, the Times' Tami Abdollah reports. The groups filed suit Monday.

Gray wolves, once plentiful from central Mexico to the Arctic, virtually disappeared from the American West by the 1930s. In 1974, they were listed as endangered. They were reintroduced to the northern Rockies starting in 1995, and since then their population has soared to about 1,500.

Since the delisting went into effect March 28, at least 35 wolves have been killed in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, and environmental groups are asking for an injunction to stop the kills.

Federal protection is a hot topic lately, with the listing of the sage grouse as endangered being reconsidered, and a federal judge ordering the Interior Department to decide quickly whether to classify polar bears as endangered species because of ice melting caused by global warming.

-- Tony Barboza

Photo: J. & K. Hollingsworth / Associated Press

The wolves still have their full winter coats, be sure and come up soon so you can see them in their finest! This is the best time for photos of you and the wolves!!!

Blue has a terrible case of glaucoma in his eye. He is in dire need of surgery to see how bad it is. He may need to have his eye removed. Please send donations and pray for Blue.

It was a bad summer and we did not have enough visitors/donations to pay WMS bills.... We are now behind on the meat bill...

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Raichle carries outdoor footwear that is proven wolf proof!!! Click here to see website.

Wolf Mountain will be at the "Mother Earth Inter-tribal Gathering Pow Wow" Saturday and Sunday, May 5-6, 2007. This is a great Pow Wow and we have been attending for many years. The Pow Wow is at Hesperia Lake Park which is east of Hesperia. Stop by and show your support! If you need directions, please call 760-248-7818. Hope to see you there!

Wolf Mountain will be at the Orange County Pet Expo, April 13-15, 2007, please stop by our booth to show your support! It's a really fun event for family and friends to attend!

WMS is getting out all of our holiday decorations so our visitors and friends can feel the holiday spirit!

Wear your holiday outfits and have your picture taken with the wolves. Photographer and printer will be on hand so you can get your photo that day! All funds raised will go to the wolves.

WMS has had a tough year and not enough visitors to pay for the meat bill the last two months. We need you to come and visit and have your friends come up too to meet the wolves.

This will be a Pot Luck - so please bring your favorite dish and enjoy a Holiday Howl In with WMS!!! Please call Tonya with what you are bringing 760-248-7818.

There will still be the normal visit donation of $20 per person. (sorry but we cannot afford to close the sanctuary for this event so it will be in addition to a regular wolf visit).

We will be having a prayer and planting of a flowering tree this day. The flowering tree will be planted near the area that Apache used to lie in the grass. This tree will grow and flourish and be a visual reminder to him and his life. We will also have flute music playing.

Pot Luck - so please bring a dish and call Tonya with what you are bringing 760-248-7818.

There will still be the normal visit donation of $20 per person. (sorry but we cannot afford to close the sanctuary for this event so it will be in addition to a regular wolf visit).

We are working on a collage of Apache's photos with a poem written by Tonya and they will be available as well as wolf bottle pendants.

WMS regretfully has to notify all lovers of the wolves that Apache Moon has joined the Sky People at 5pm on September 19, 2006.

Congratulate MARCIA BOND for placing the final bid on the beautiful necklace designed and donated by Pale Moon Rising Designs. Marcia is a long time friend of the wolves and adoptive parent. She visits often from the Palm Springs area. The final bid was $350.00!! Karen Dwyer from Pale Moon Rising Designs is donating the full amount to WMS! Thanks Karen and Marcia!!!

The Sanctuary will be closed from April 5 - 12, 2006. Tonya is going to Arizona to look at some land!! She is going on a scouting trip for the Sanctuary's new dream location. This is a dream of ours to move to a place better suited for the wolves. We are seeking 100-200 acres in Northern Arizona. We want the wolves to be able to live in a cooler climate and our goal is to give each pack 10 acres to run and play on.. If you know of any land like this, please contact us at wolfmtnsanctuary@yahoo.com.

Thank you all for this help and please send your prayers that we find the dream site!

John T. and Laurie B. have been up to the sanctuary many times. They are currently working on a documentary about Tonya and the wolves. Please check back and we will post when it is complete and how you can view it!

Please go to our new FUNDRAISER page to check out a charity auction for WMS... Pale Moon Rising Designs has designed a beautiful wolf necklace that they are auctioning off and WMS will receive ALL the proceeds! Please make a bid or pass on to your friends and contacts who might like it.

Well the county has turned down repeated requests by WMS to build this new compound.

Our neighbor, who repeatedly complains about the wolves is the reason they will not allow it. We have explained that we are not getting another wolf, just giving him a new compound. Red tape, ugh!

So we have all the fencing and supplies that were purchased with your kind donations but we cannot use it.

Tamaka has adjusted to Niosha's loss but he still needs to be with a companion. This will have to wait until our move.

It's almost Spring in the high desert of Lucerne Valley, CA. The wolves coats are a bit confused as it is not typically this warm this time of year. Some days are very warm and others are cool. The nights are still cold...

Next month we have many many birthdays! The pups will be two years old! They have grown into beautiful youngsters so fast. The are going into their teenage stage. They are mischievous and rambunctious and very very active.

Wanagi is definitely the Alpha Female. Alpha Male goes back and forth between Yawto and Istas... Istas is the older wolf and as Wanagi is his mate, he tends to rule the most. Yawto seems to be the protector. When the wolves growl and there are visitors, Yawto gets in between the visitor and the wolves playing and growling.

Dakota is still having issues with stiffness, he is starting to show his age. When getting off his lean too he has quite a tough time. We need to get some wood donated so we can build him a ramp. Bob, the Caretaker, has a plan for a ramp. If you can please donate the wood or funds for the ramp that would be great! Call Bob at 760-248-7818 and he will tell you his plan and what he needs.

Apache is still going strong. His walk is wobbly but his heart and soul are strong. He still wanders around the compound checking everything out...

The juveniles, Wana, Shanta and Wakinyan are still not allowed visitors. The staff is working with them to try and calm them down. They get much to rowdy when visitors are with them, running and jumping very fast. You can get knocked down easily... So for safety, only staff is allowed in the compound with them.