Fish and Wildlife changes Mexican wolf management
Jun. 30—The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Thursday finalized rules that change how the federal agency manages the endangered Mexican gray wolf.
The changes temporarily restrict who can relocate or lethally remove "problem wolves" or packs.
Livestock owners and state game agencies can receive permits for removing wolves that attack or kill livestock, elk or deer.
Tracy Melbihess, Fish and Wildlife's Mexican wolf policy coordinator, said the agency will continue to issue those permits to ranchers on federal and non-federal lands, but only if the FWS has met its annual population targets.
"For example, in 2022 we have met our annual benchmark for 9 released wolves surviving to breeding age, so we would continue to issue permits," Melbihess said. "Every year ... those benchmarks increase by 1 to 2 wolves."
The permit limits will expire when the agency reaches its new goal of 22 captive wolves surviving in the wild to breeding age, or about two years old.
The agency will also remove a population limit that capped the number of wild wolves in New Mexico and Arizona at 325.
There are at least 196 Mexican wolves in the wild south of I-40 in the two states.
The agency will now release more wolves from captivity into the wild.
Melbihess said more wolves placed into wild dens will improve gene diversity and reduce the threat of inbreeding.
Mexican gray wolves were first listed as an endangered species in 1976.
New Mexico Game and Fish and the state Agriculture Department have signed on as partners in the species recovery efforts, as have at least 9 New Mexico counties.
FWS southwest region director Amy Lueders said the agency will consider more non-lethal ways to resolve conflicts between ranchers and wolves.
"We are focused on growth of the population and improving its genetics," she said.
Recent wildfires like the Black Fire have burned through core wolf habitat in New Mexico.
"But our initial reports show that wolves in the fire's path have survived, and we do not expect population declines as a result," Lueders said.
