Endangered gray wolves on rise in the southwest

Wolf population in Arizona, New Mexico higher than at any time since conservation tracking efforts started.

THE EDGE OF THE GILA WILDERNESS, N.M. >> For months, crews have combed the rugged mountains of the southwestern United States, tracking collared Mexican gray wolves and looking for evidence of new packs to build the most accurate picture possible of just how many wolves are roaming the wild in New Mexico and Arizona.

The results of the painstaking effort were finally released Wednesday, revealing there are more of these endangered wolves in the wild than at any time since federal wildlife managers initiated efforts to conserve the animals decades ago.

Since the first wolves were released in 1998, the program aimed at re-establishing the species across its historic range has had its share of fits and starts due to illegal shootings, courtroom battles and politics. The challenges are mounting as ranchers and rural residents say the situation for them has become untenable as 2019 marked a record year for livestock kills.

At least 163 wolves were counted during the recent survey. That marks a nearly 25% jump in the population from the previous year and puts wildlife managers about half way to meeting the goal that has been set for declaring the species recovered.

Officials say the population has increased an average of 15% annually over the last decade, marking what they consider to be a healthy pace.

“This is the second year we have seen a significant increase in the wild population of Mexican wolves, a success that is directly tied to the science-based, onthe-ground management efforts of the Interagency Field Team,” said Amy Lueders, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Southwest regional director.

The recent count found there were 42 packs in the wild and half of them had pups last spring.