Mexico is set to realease Mexican Grey Wolves into the wilds of northeastern Sonora near the Chihuahua border and very close the international line. Wolves released into Arizona have done better than could be expected, yet their recovery is still failing due to both illegal killing as well legal removal and killing to appease ranchers in the area... even though ranchers are being reimbursed for cattle killed by wolves.
Here is a release from the AZ Game and Fish Dept.:
Mexico has announced its intent to release captive Mexican wolves, perhaps as early as October-November 2009, in northern Mexico (in eastern Sonora and western Chihuahua). On August 7, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will brief the Commission on how this project has been developed and on the potential for post-release dispersal into southern Arizona and New Mexico. The Service will also address other issues pertaining to wolves that disperse from Mexico into the AZ-NM borderlands, including: their legal (protected) status under federal law; how they will be detected, monitored, and managed; how reports of nuisance and livestock depredation incidents will be investigated; how impacts on big game populations will be detected and mitigated; how nuisance and depredating wolves will be managed; how proactive interdiction, incentive, and compensation measures will be funded and administered; and how outreach will be handled to make stakeholders and interested parties in southern Arizona and New Mexico and the general public aware of the project and the ramifications of post-release dispersal from Mexico into the United States.
In the August 7 Commission meeting, the Department will provide a summary of previous (October 2008) guidance from the Commission regarding Department participation in Mexican wolf conservation. The Department will also ask the Commission to reaffirm or provide new or additional policy guidance to the Department on participation in Mexican wolf conservation in Mexico.
