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The New Mexico State Game Commission voted today to rejoin the Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Program including becoming a signatory to the Cooperating Agencies MOU and engaging in on the ground management activities. The state game commission voted in 2011 to leave the program during a change in leadership at the state level.
Bryan Bird, Southwest program director for Defenders of Wildlife, issued this statement:
“We commend the Game Commission for its vote to recommit to saving the Mexican gray wolf. This severely endangered species needs the support of the states if it is to have a fighting chance at survival. The state game commission should take the additional step of withdrawing its defense of the flawed 2017 recovery plan in on-going litigation.
“It’s clear more can and should be done to save this species, including the release of well-bonded adult pairs and limiting losses from trapping and illegal killing. The state can encourage the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to immediately undertake these simple measures. The lobo is a unique part of the Southwestern landscape and deserves to be protected.”
Defenders of Wildlife is celebrating 75 years of protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.2 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit defenders.org/newsroom and follow us on Twitter @Defenders.
