Press Release: 2015 Numbers On Mexican Gray Wolf Down

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 18, 2016

Media Contact: Catalina Tresky; ctresky@defenders.org, (202) 772-0253(202) 772-0253

TUCSON – Today, the Fish and Wildlife Service (the Service) released the official annual count of endangered Mexican gray wolves in Arizona and New Mexico. The numbers this year are down, from 110 wolves at the end of 2014 to 97 wolves at the end of 2015.

Eva Sargent, Defenders of Wildlife’s senior Southwest representative, issued the following statement:

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service needs to do more — and do it fast — to save the lobo from extinction. In order for Mexican gray wolves to recover fully, they need more wolf releases, a science-based recovery plan and more wolf populations in suitable habitats.

“Arizona and New Mexico state game and fish commissions have strategically worked to stall this recovery effort by blocking releases, dismissing the best available science, insisting that more studies are needed before a recovery plan is finalized and pressuring the Service to keep the population small and out of the best habitats needed for recovery.

“Enough is enough. The Service needs to assert its authority and recover the Mexican gray wolf.”
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