Features

	Two Pairs Mexican Wolves Released M1133, the Mexican wolf who was released into Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in Arizona in January, and recaptured three weeks later, is out again, this time with a  hand selected mate. Translocated to an enclosure in the Gila Wilderness, M1133 and a female mate will receive supplemental food while they learn to catch and kill native prey, such as deer and elk, on their own. The supplemental feeding will assist in anchoring the wolves to the area. Another wolf pair, with no previous wild experience, were also released in Arizona in late April. The releases come amidst attempts to offset illegal mortalities in the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area and to improve genetic diversity for the rarest mammal in North America.
	Mexican Wolf Reintroduction 15th Anniversary March 29, 2013 marked the 15th anniversary of the reintroduction of the Mexican wolf to the Gila Bioregion in Arizona and New Mexico and yet only 75 wolves are in the wild. WildEarth Guardians continues to pursue an innovative win-win strategy that will add new acres to our national wilderness system and reduce conflicts between wolves and public lands ranchers to the point where wolves can recover and thrive. This project leverages over five years of efforts partnering with ranchers to retire grazing permits on allotments that have high wilderness and wolf conservation values.
	Ending Trapping in New Mexico On March 4, a committee of the New Mexico legislature killed a bill that would have greatly restricted poisons and traps in New Mexico. Brought by WildEarth Guardians and the TrapFree NM Coalition, and introduced by Representative Roberto “Bobby” Gonzales (D-Taos), the New Mexico Wildlife Protection & Public Safety Act, would have curbed the cull of the state’s native wildlife, including the rare Mexican wolf, for the profit of a few. We knew ending traps and poisons would be a multi-year effort, but we gained much knowledge from this first attempt. You can be sure we’ll be back in 2015, our next opportunity to raise the issue again.
	Mexican Wolf Counts Increase in New Mexico and Arizona The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have released their Mexican wolf counts for 2012. Officials counted 75 lobos between Arizona and New Mexico, which is the highest count in the 14 years since wolves were released into the wild but no where near the established target of 100 wolves by 2006. There were at least 58 wolves counted in the 4-million-acre Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area located principally in national forests at the end of 2011. The count released in February 2013 represents growth of nearly 30 percent. Among the 75 wolves were 20 pups.

Slider Photo credits: Mexican wolf: USFWS. Mexican wolf and pups: Endangered Wolf Center. Grazing: George Wuethner. Wolf kiss: Deb Simon. Thumbprint Photo credits: Halfmoon pack transport: USFWS. Mexican wolf: Fotolia. Mexican wolf: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Mexican wolf puppy: Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team.

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Maps

• Gila Wilderness and Roadless Areas
• Mexican Wolf Occupied Habitat
• Mexican Wolf Recovery Area Values Map
• Pilot Grazing Permit Retirement Project Map