The Interior Department is expected to announce that it is lifting protections for gray wolves in the coming days, rules put in place in the 1970s following a period of widespread killings by farmers and ranchers, the Associated Press reports.

Between the lines: While the administration is going to argue that wolves have largely made a comeback from these killings, wildlife advocates are likely to push for federal protections to remain in place until wolves repopulate within their historic range, which spans across the country.