Two Mexican gray wolves found dead

Defenders of Wildlife offers up to $10K for information on wolf killings

Summary:

• Between 1998 and June 2009, 31 Mexican gray wolves were illegally killed by poachers
• The Mexican gray wolf is one of the most endangered wolves in the world; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service counted just 42 wolves in the wild last year
• There have been only two prosecutions for illegal wolf killings, the leading cause of death among Mexican gray wolves
• More law enforcement presence is needed to solve these crimes and to protect Mexican gray wolves from poaching

The following is a statement from Eva Sargent, Defenders of Wildlife’s Southwest program director:

“Now that the alpha males of two packs have been killed, the fatherless pups of one of the most endangered animals in the world are less likely to survive. With so few Mexican gray wolves remaining in the wild, every wolf – especially the alpha males – is crucial to the survival of the species.

“These latest killings, along with the sobering statistic that illegal wolf killings are the leading cause of death for Mexican gray wolves, highlight the urgent need for greater law enforcement capacity at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“Meanwhile, the Fish and Wildlife Service should work quickly to develop and implement a scientific recovery plan that keeps Mexican gray wolves from spiraling toward extinction and helps to set them on the road to recovery.”

Defenders of Wildlife is offering up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for killing two perilously endangered Mexican gray wolves in the past two weeks in Arizona and New Mexico. In combination with rewards from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the states of Arizona and New Mexico, other conservation organizations and individuals, Defenders’ offer brings the total reward offered to $52,000.

Learn more about Mexican gray wolves.

Contact(s):

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.