Wolf Crossing

Yes, this came out just a day before the notice of 3 illegal wolf shootings.  Interesting isn’t it.  Also, notice the WEG are still using the media to hammer home allegations of illegal attraction of wolves.  Allegatioins that remain uninvestigated and were denied by the person that allegedly made them to an unfriendly reporter no less.   Question, what is patriotic about allowing government wolves to ruin people’s lives and what is patriotic to spin and spread clearly false information? The message is clear, we are prevacators, send us money.   

Let Lobos Roam!

Photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Do Something Patriotic!

Tell Governor Richardson to give lobos their liberty this 4th of July.

Today, less than 50 Mexican wolves roam the wilds of New Mexico and Arizona. The struggling population of lobos has declined alarmingly over the past three years, primarily due to the removal of wolves suspected of preying upon livestock. In New Mexico, Governor Bill Richardson has the power to change this arcane practice-but he needs to hear from you.

This week, as you celebrate the 4th of July, do something exceptionally

patriotic: Send a letter to Governor Richardson by July 15th <http://ga4.org/ct/r1qthJ41lzGa/> and tell him to give lobos a home and the freedom to roam in New Mexico. Specifically, the governor has the power to make an important change, initiated through Executive Order, that could help to pull the lobo back from the brink of extinction:

Direct the Game Commission to withhold New Mexico’s approval of the federal policy that mandates removing wolves that may have preyed on livestock.

Currently, policy dictates that government agents remove any wolf who has killed livestock on three or more occasions over 365 days. Notably, this pernicious policy places no responsibility on the livestock industry to actively prevent conflicts with wolves, even on public lands. Read an article <http://ga4.org/ct/fdqthJ41lzGA/> about the abuse of this policy.

Given the fact that Americans are paying to help restore lobos to the wilds of the Southwest-after the species was almost extinct in the wild-it makes no sense to remove them from the wild again because of occasional conflicts with livestock production. It was, after all, that same conflict that drove them to the brink of extinction in the first place. Driving animals to extinction is downright un-American. Watch a three-minute video <http://ga4.org/ct/fpqthJ41lzGN/> documenting the perilous situation facing our nation’s last lobos.

As our nation observes our declaration of independence, so too must we come together to ensure the independence of Mexican wolves from the tyranny of private industry. The scientific community agrees that this tyranny must stop: In 2007, the American Society of Mammalogists urged that the government “suspend all predator control directed at Mexican gray wolves at least until the interim 100-wolf goal of the current reintroduction program has been achieved.”

Taking a cue from the scientists, Governor Richardson called for change in the Mexican wolf recovery program around this time last year (read his press release <http://ga4.org/ct/f1qthJ41lzG_/> ). Moreover, Richardson knows that the public is strongly pro-wolf. A new poll <http://ga4.org/ct/rpqthJ41lzGL/> found that 69 percent of New Mexicans support the reintroduction of Mexican wolves. However, the governor needs to hear from you <http://ga4.org/ct/r1qthJ41lzGa/> , to ensure he acts on the support he avowed a year ago for these imperiled wolves.

WildEarth Guardians’ Carnivore Recovery Program is working on several fronts to ensure that the lobo never goes extinct in the wild again. But now we need your help! Send a short message <http://ga4.org/ct/r1qthJ41lzGa/> to Governor Richardson asking him to proclaim an end to further removals of Mexican wolves in New Mexico by July 15, 2008.

Read <http://ga4.org/ct/47qthJ41lzG1/> about WildEarth Guardians’

lawsuit to hold a renegade New Mexico county accountable for killing wolves.

Read <http://ga4.org/ct/4pqthJ41lzGq/> about WildEarth Guardians’

lawsuit challenging the policy that mandates wolves be removed from the wild for preying on livestock.

More <http://ga4.org/ct/f7qthJ41lzGM/> about WildEarth Guardians.

Become an Endangered Species Act Guardian <http://ga4.org/ct/rdqthJ41lzGz/> and speak up for the wildlife that needs your voice everyday.

Donate <http://ga4.org/ct/v1qthJ41lzG2/> to WildEarth Guardians.

For the lobo,

Rob Edward

Rob Edward

Director of Carnivore Recovery

WildEarth Guardians

Rob Edward

P.S. Save the date or tell your friends about the Guardians’ Gala in Santa Fe September 25, the Treehugger’s Ball in Albuquerque on September

18 and in Denver on October 2.

WildEarth Guardians

505 988-9126

312 Montezuma, Santa Fe - New Mexico - 87501

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US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

        Southwest Region   (Arizona ● New Mexico ● Oklahoma ●Texas)

                       http://www.fws.gov/southwest/

 

For Release:  July 3, 2008

Contacts:  Elizabeth Slown 505-248-6909 or 505-363-9592 (cell)

 

 

             Illegal Activity Has Caused Multiple Wolf Deaths

 

Nine Mexican wolves have died in the wild since the beginning of 2008.

Foul play was responsible for three of the deaths, according to the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service.  Necropsy results from the Service’s wildlife

forensic laboratory are still pending for one wolf.

 

Female wolves known as AF1111, AF1112 and AF1113 were illegally shot.  The

fate of AM583 has yet to be determined.  Mexican wolves are identified by

numbers preceded with an ‘F’ to show adult female gender and an ‘M’ for

adult male gender.  The ‘A’ signifies the wolf was the lead, or alpha

member, of the pack.  Generally only the alpha members of a pack mate and

bear young.

 

“I feel every wolf on the landscape deserves a chance to survive without

being illegally killed,” said Benjamin N. Tuggle, PhD, Regional Director

for the Service’s Southwest Region.  “I am disturbed that there are

suspicious circumstances around their deaths and I want to know what

happened to each wolf.  All of our available law enforcement resources will

be used to conduct a comprehensive investigation.”

 

Killing a Mexican wolf is a violation of the Federal Endangered Species

Act.  It can result in criminal penalties of up to $50,000 and/or not more

than one year in jail; and/or a civil penalty of up to $25,000.

 

The Service urges any individual who may have seen any suspicious

activities relating to the Mexican wolf deaths to contact one of the

following agencies: USFWS special agents in Mesa, Ariz. at (480) 967-7900,

in Alpine, Ariz. at (928) 339-4232, or in Albuquerque, at (505) 346-7828;

the White Mountain Apache Tribe at (928) 338-1023 or (928) 338-4385; AGFD

Operation Game Thief at 1-800-352-0700; or, NMDGF Operation Game Thief at

1-800-432-4263.

 

“I appeal to anyone with information that could help solve these cases to

step forward and aid us in the resolution of these illegal shootings,” said

Tuggle.  The Service offers a reward of $10,000 for information leading to

the apprehension of the individual(s) responsible for any wolf deaths.

 

The Service is also seeking law enforcement assistance from the other state

and federal agencies involved in the wolf reintroduction program.  “A

strong cooperative law enforcement presence affirms that we won’t tolerate

an illegal taking of any endangered species,” said Tuggle.

 

“These illegal actions are not going to stop the reintroduction program,”

declared Tuggle.  “We fully intend to establish a genetically sound

population of Mexican wolves in New Mexico and Arizona.”

 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the federal agency charged with

recovering endangered species.  The reintroduction of the Mexican wolf is a

cooperative, multi-agency effort of the Arizona Game and Fish Department,

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, White Mountain Apache Tribe, USDA

Forest Service and USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services and the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service.  Wolves have been released into the wild since 1998

 

Two wolves, f1104 and m1109, were accidentally hit by vehicles in separate

incidents earlier in the year.  One female, AF758, likely died of natural

causes.  Its young pups, f1116 and m1117, did not survive, likely as a

result of losing their mother as the primary food provider.

 

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to

conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for

the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and

trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific

excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated

professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our

work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

                                   -FWS-

 

 

For more information about fish and wildlife conservation in the Southwest,

visit http://www.fws.gov/southwest/

 

___________________________________________

Elizabeth Slown, Public Affairs Specialist

External Affairs, US Fish and Wildlife Service

505-248-6909 (voice), 505-363-9592 (cell), 505-248-6915 (fax)

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7/3/08 9:04 AM Inches: 3.6 REGULAR BC-NM-DeadWolves 07-03 0169 BC-NM–Dead Wolves,0134

Feds: 9 Mexican gray wolves died in wild in 2008

Eds: APNewsNow.

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says nine Mexican gray wolves have died in the wild so far this year, including three females that were illegally shot.

The agency says it is awaiting results of a necropsy on one wolf Penalties for killing a Mexican gray wolf include fines of up to $75,000 and up to a year in jail.

Mexican gray wolves disappeared from the Southwest during the past century because of federal eradication efforts. Fish and Wildlife reintroduced 11 wolves into the recovery area in 1998.

The area includes 4.4 million acres of the Gila and Apache Sitgreaves national forests in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona plus Arizona’s 1.6 million-acre White Mountain Apache reservation.

The area is interspersed with private land and towns.

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June 26, 2008
By Mike Sievers
special to Mountain Mail
SOCORRO, New Mexico (STPNS) — A poll showing statewide support for the Mexican gray wolf recovery program has not gone over well in Catron County.
Catron County Commission Chairman Ed Wehrheim called the poll, commissioned by several environmental groups, “biased” and “bogus” in a press release sent out Thursday, June 19. Wehrheim said reintroducing the wolves has caused suffering among ranchers and families in Catron County.
“We are paying a big price for protecting wolves that don’t need protecting,” he said.  “People here are losing their livelihoods, their kids are at risk.”

continued at …

To see the real analysis of the same poll for informaiton on how little people care about wolf management click here. 

wolf recovery survey summary Arizona

wolf recovery survey summary NM

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Estimated to be a small 3 -3.5 year old male. The lion is being sent for testing for rabies but gave the appearance of overall health.  The lion did have a shotgun pellet wound in it’s back believed to be from being shot at during the sighting by a NMDG&F officer Thurday night,  just prior to finding Robert Nawojski’s body on Friday.
The lion had been trailed extensively throughout the week by Wildlife Services officers using hounds and was caught in a snare.  Officers will remain in the area for a few more days to ensure that it is the only animal frequenting the small community.
From the Silver City Sun News Tuesday 6-24 Autopsy Confirms Cougar Killed Man

  Dan Williams, spokesman for Game and Fish, confirmed Tuesday that game officers using hounds and snares in an attempt to capture the mountain lion believe there may be two lions in the area.
“They do think there may be two lions in that area,” he said. “Based on the tracks they found while trying to track the one.”
The confirmation strengthens statements made by Pinos Altos residents that several encounters between residents and a mountain lion overlapped, leading many to believe two lions were roaming the area.
Trackers with Wildlife Services were searching an area west of Highway 15 about two miles south of Pinos Altos Tuesday for sign that the big cat was traveling the saddle area between two peaks.
 

6-25 press release

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Media contact: Dan Williams, (505) 476-8004
Public contact: (505) 476-8000
dan.williams@state.nm.us
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JUNE 25, 2008:
 
WOUNDED MOUNTAIN LION CAPTURED, KILLED NEAR PINOS ALTOS
 
PINOS ALTOS — A mountain lion that may have killed a Pinos Altos man was captured in a snare and killed Wednesday morning.
 
The lion was an average-sized adult male weighing approximately 125 pounds. It had four bullet holes in it that appeared to be from buckshot. A Department of Game and Fish officer had shot and wounded a lion with buckshot June 19 near the home of 55-year-old Robert Nawojski.
 
Nawojski was killed by a mountain lion June 17 or 18 near his small mobile home in a wooded area of Pinos Altos north of Silver City. His partially eaten and buried body was found June 20 near a rock ledge about 60 yards from his home where he liked to bathe and shave.
 
The lion was caught in a U.S.D.A. Wildlife Services snare about a half-mile from the rock ledge where Nawojski was believed to have been attacked. The lion was killed and its body will be taken to the New Mexico State Police Crime Lab for a necropsy.
 
Wildlife Services agents and Department of Game and Fish officers with hounds were still searching for a second lion reported to be in the area. “But we’re confident the lion we caught last night was the one wounded by our officer Thursday night,” Department Officer Leon Redman said.
 
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