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For Immediate Release
Endangered Mexican wolves found firmer ground last year
Mexican wolf numbers held steady in 2008
TUCSON,
Ariz.—Mexican wolves roaming the Blue Range
Wolf Reintroduction Area held steady in 2008 after losing numbers in three of
the last four years, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s annual survey
released today.
Agency officials report that at least 52 Mexican wolves with
two breeding pairs were living in the 4 million acre recovery area that spans
parts of Arizona and
New Mexico in 2008. For 2007, FWS
reported 52 wolves and four breeding pairs. “It’s a relief to see that the overall number of Mexican
wolves hasn’t gone down, but we can't continue to lose breeding pairs,” said Eva
Sargent, director of the Southwest program for Defenders of Wildlife. “They’re
not making any progress toward recovery. If Mexican wolves are to have a real
chance to avoid extinction, the Fish and Wildlife Service must make recovery a
priority by keeping more wolves on the ground and finding new ways to avoid
removing wolves.” Conservation groups attribute the population’s stability to
FWS’ less-aggressive wolf control last year, an abundance of elk for the wolves
to prey on, and more ranches deploying proactive techniques to reduce conflicts
between livestock and wolves. Efforts to avoid conflicts with livestock gained some
momentum last year with landowners in
Arizona and
New Mexico joining Defenders of
Wildlife in helping to keep livestock and wolves apart. In 2008, Defenders of
Wildlife helped six landowners implement projects to reduce conflicts between
livestock and wolves, including installing fencing outfitted with fladry (red
streamers attached to fences) and employing additional range riders to help keep
wolves away from livestock. In the past, when rare conflicts between livestock and a wolf
occurred, the wolf usually ended up dead or back in captivity – either shot or
removed by federal wildlife officials.
Since the program began, 11 wolves have been lethally controlled for
killing livestock, several have died from complications of capture, and some 34
Mexican wolves are being held in captivity for such acts as killing livestock
and dispersing beyond the recovery area boundaries. Such aggressive management has prevented Mexican wolves from
making real progress toward recovery in the wild. This year FWS did not remove
any Mexican wolves from the wild, down from 19 wolf removals in 2007. “With approximately 52 Mexican wolves left in the wild, every
wolf on the ground is crucial for their survival,” Sargent said. “What the
wolves need desperately is a recovery plan that will provide a roadmap for
recovery and delisting. We look forward to working with the Fish and Wildlife
Service on a plan that will give Mexican wolves this chance.” ### Defenders of Wildlife
is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural
communities. With more than 1 million members and activists, Defenders of
Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our
wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org.
