Wallow Fire May Have Spared Mexican Wolves

The Wallow Fire in Arizona and New Mexico burned over Mexican wolf habitat on June 3, 2011.

A massive wildfire raging across Arizona and New Mexico appears to have spared endangered Mexican gray wolves, wildlife officials reported on Monday.

The Wallow Fire — now the largest in Arizona’s history — has consumed close to a half-million acres since catching ablaze in late May, including forest lands that are home to the lobos and their newborn pups.

Two weeks ago, the flames spread through denning areas occupied by three packs, threatening more than a quarter of the known wild population.

Two of the packs in the fire’s path, Bluestem and Hawks Nest, were known to be raising a total of at least eight pups, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

After the Smoke Clears, Hope Prevails

Helicopter and airplane surveys on Monday sparked hope that newest generation of lobos may have escaped the blaze alive. Signals from collaRed Wolves showed that the packs’ adults were still lingering close to the burned denning areas – a sign that the pups could also be nearby.

“The adults continuing to utilize the den area may be an indication that the pups survived the fire,” the Fish and Wildlife Service said in a report.

Defenders of Wildlife’s Southwest program director in Tucson, Ariz. and Mexican gray wolf expert, Eva Sargent, has been keeping an anxious eye on the fire’s course.

“I was relieved to hear that this year’s pups may be okay,” she says. “I’ve been holding my breath as I’ve watched the fire spread, and now I feel like I can breathe.”

Sargent has good reason to worry. She has worked tirelessly for years to help return wolves to the Southwest.

“We’ve made a lot of progress recently in Mexican wolf recovery efforts,” she says, pointing to a team of scientists the Fish and Wildlife Service has assembled to draw up a new recovery plan for the wolves and last year’s boost in the population. “We’re close to getting lobo recovery on the right track. And this fire threatened to send it all up in smoke. Thankfully, hard work by staff from the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Arizona and New Mexico state game agencies helped save these wolves. That’s dedication to conservation of the landscapes and wildlife of the Southwest – to be on the job even when you’ve had to evacuate from your own home or office.”

More Wolves in the Fire’s Path?

It’s still too soon to wave the all-clear flag. Three more packs appear to be denning within in 2-to-6 miles of the fire, which has covered more than 750 square miles in just three weeks. The Arizona Republic reports that only 33 percent of fire has been contained.

“Even if Mexican wolves survive the blaze,” Eva says, “their habitat may be significantly impacted. And they’re going to need our help now more than ever.”