Two adult Mexican gray wolves were recently released in a remote area of the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico as part of the recovery and reintroduction of the endangered wolf. Male 973 and Female 924, known as the Durango Pack, were placed in a temporary holding pen near Miller Spring. F924 is pregnant and is being released just prior to birthing to increase the likelihood the wolves will den in the area.
The two wolves were transferred from the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge wolf facility to a staging area on the edge of the wilderness. The next morning, the wolves were packed into the Gila wilderness and placed into a temporary holding pen. On April 24, biologists with the reintroduction program removed a panel of the pen to allow the animals to disperse into the wild.
"The Durango pack translocation is part of an interagency program begun in 1998 to reintroduce Mexican wolves to a portion of their historic habitat in east-central Arizona and southwestern New Mexico," says John Morgart, Mexican wolf program coordinator. "With this release, we are augment the breeding wolf population now in the wild and maintain its genetic diversity."
Under the rules of the wolf restoration program, Mexican wolves can be released in New Mexico only if they were born in the wild or have experience in the wild. Existing rules prevent direct releases of wolves into New Mexico that have not been previously captured for management purposes.
At the end of 2006, there were 59 wolves throughout the reintroduction area in New Mexico and Arizona. Of those, 46 were born in the wild.
The reintroduction of the Mexican gray wolf is a cooperative, multi-agency effort of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, White Mountain Apache Tribe, USDA Forest Service and USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services.
Background:
The male wolf, AM 973 was born in the wild to the Aspen Pack and translocated to the Gila Wilderness in 2005. It was captured and moved to the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge wolf facility in September 2006 after it had been hanging around residences. The female wolf, AF 924, was wild-born to the Francisco Pack, captured as a pup and translocated to the Gila Wildnerness in June 2006 with the Granite pack. The female was captured and moved to Sevilleta after two livestock depredations in November 2006.
Following its capture and removal from the wild in 2006, a rumor began to circulate that F924 had bitten a member of the wolf field team. A thorough investigation was conducted, and it was determined that no bite occurred. However, F924 may have scratched the handler while it was being restrained and removed from the trap. Rules governing the reintroduction project require that any wild, free-ranging wolf that bites or scratches a human will be euthanized and tested for rabies.
This rule does not apply to the wolf program personnel while conducting program duties. "Handling any wild animal has inherent risks to the both the captor and the captured, and should only be attempted by lawfully authorized professionals with the proper training and equipment. The project takes overall public safety issues very seriously," says John Morgart.
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