The Arizona Republic (Original) Posted April 14, 2022 by Lindsey Botts
Federal officials released a set of steps this week meant to curb the illegal killing of endangered Mexican gray wolves in Arizona and New Mexico. Under the plan, the agency would work with state wildlife managers to increase education and outreach in communities where wolves live.
The new proposals stem from a 2018 lawsuit filed by a slew of conservation organizations that said the Trump administration's plan failed to follow the best available science on wolf recovery.
Conservations groups, including two plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Defenders of Wildlife and the Center for Biological Diversity, praised the inclusion of additional measures to curb vehicle accidents but fear the measures intended to reduce shootings, such as outreach and education, are a continuation of what’s already being done.
In October, a federal court judge in Arizona partially agreed that the plan was inadequate. They said it failed to address the illegal killing of wolves, or poaching. Human-caused mortality is the leading cause of death for Mexican wolves and is the main threat to their continued survival.