A female Mexican gray wolf that was released into the wild earlier this year in hopes that she would become a mate for another lone wolf has been shot by federal wildlife managers, marking the latest blow to the government’s troubled effort to return the endangered wolves to their former range in the Southwest. The shooting happened late Wednesday on private land near the mountain community of Beaverhead, officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed Thursday. The wolf had been hanging around a ranch at the northeastern edge of the Gila National Forest and was starting to lose her fear of humans.
She had also been socializing with domestic dogs.
Numerous attempts were made to dart the wolf so she could be returned to captivity, but wildlife managers were not able to get close enough, said agency spokesman Tom Buckley. The decision was made to shoot the wolf.
“It’s a very, very unfortunate and very sad circumstance. We’re still trying to wrap our heads around it and what it means to the program,” he told The Associated Press. Read More
1 comments (read or post your own):
It is imperative that we get direct releases of "Lobos" into NM. There are only about 50 Mexican gray wolves.
("lobos") in the wilds of New Mexico and Arizona--not enough to ensure.
their survival. More than 300 lobos are in captivity, waiting to be.
released into the wild as part of a reintroduction program. Releasing
wolves directly into New Mexico--where the best remaining unoccupied.
habitat exists--is critical to quickly boosting numbers and gene.
diversity in the wild population, but for bureaucratic reasons the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) won't do it, citing an outdated rule.
that prevents direct releases into New Mexico. The FWS could easily.
change this rule by issuing an Environmental Assessment and putting it.
out for public review, but it refuses to do so. Tell the FWS to take.
action before it's too late for Mexican wolves.
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