“The additional review time will provide the Service the opportunity to fully evaluate the implications of the court decision,” said a statement from the agency. 

The proposed rule, first published June 28, would stop management of red wolves living on private lands and restrict conservation efforts to certain public lands in Hyde and Dare counties. Outside those public lands, red wolves could be killed with no hunting restrictions. A five-county area in Eastern North Carolina is home to the world’s only wild population of red wolves, which is now down from a peak of 150 individuals 10 years ago to about 35 today. 

The initial 30-day public comment period was extended for an additional 30 days to close Aug. 28, and a final rule was expected Nov. 30. The Fish and Wildlife Service statement announcing the extended review time did not include a revised timeline. 

The conservation organization Defenders of Wildlife is opposed to the extended review, saying that the Fish and Wildlife Service should be starting from scratch rather than trying to salvage something from its controversial plan. 

“The Fish and Wildlife Service should throw out its contested plan for red wolves and instead fulfill its duties by conserving the species, taking concrete steps to protect this species and charting a path towards recovery,” said Ben Prater, Southeast program director for Defenders. “Red wolves need help now.”

According to an analysis from the Wildlands Network, Wolf Conservation Center, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife and Animal Welfare Institute, the proposed rule drew 108,124 comments, of which 99.9 percent favored stronger federal protections for red wolves.