Mexican Gray Wolf Program Cuts Worsen as Arizona Puts Up New Barriers 

The Arizona legislature yesterday passed a bill that would cut all resources to and end the transportation of Mexican gray wolf puppies into the state, a move that would hinder cross-fostering and debilitate efforts to recover the federally endangered species. Defenders of Wildlife staunchly opposes SB 1280, which has grotesquely been named the “Cruella De Vil Act,” as Arizona has been central in the Mexican gray wolf recovery program.

“This bill cuts off Mexican gray wolves currently living in Arizona from the breeding facilities in the U.S. and Mexico that have been key in the lobo recovery effort,” said Bryan Bird, Defenders of Wildlife’s director of Southwest program. “The very agency that helped bring this species back from the brink of extinction through sound science and conservation work is now being hamstrung by political agendas. Unless Gov. Hobbs vetoes this bill, decades of work and millions of dollars could be wasted.”  

SB 1280 also directs the Arizona Game and Fish Commission to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the lead agency for Mexican gray wolf recovery, that requires a DNA panel for any release, relocation or cross-foster of Mexican gray wolves into the state, and establishes that none of these may occur within three miles of private property or state land trust.  

The bill awaits signature or veto by Gov. Katie Hobbs.