 The Gray Wolf may soon lose endangered species protection. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt made that announcement Wednesday. He said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will soon propose a rule removing gray wolves from the endangered species list in the continental United States. The agency said in a statement that the species has recovered. Minnesota Congressman Colin Peterson applauded the move in a press release today. According to the Fish and Wildlife Service there are an estimated 5,600 gray wolves in the lower 48 states. Gray wolves in Alaska are not protected under the ESA. There are between 7,700 and 11,200 gray wolves in that state. Now this isn't the first proposal to remove the species from the ESA list. In 2011 they were delisted in the western Great Lakes area which includes Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. They were relisted again in 2014.